WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Recap: Johnson Victorious

Just when we thought we had some clarity in golf, that this Day fellow was clearly the best of the best, along comes this Johnson kid to give him a serious run for his money.

Sure, Day is more mature and has had a big head start, but, really, wasn't it only a matter of time before Johnson narrowed the gap?

Oh, wait … you think we're talking about Jason Day and Dustin Johnson? Ha. Oh, no. We're talking Dash James Day and Tatum Gretzky Johnson.

Just when it appeared that Dash would run away with the title of Cutest Kid on the PGA Tour, along comes young Tatum, who all of a sudden has been getting a lot of face time the past few weeks, what with his daddy winning the U.S. Open and, now, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday.

Yes, there was Little Tatum, captured by the CBS cameras scampering around Firestone Country Club as only a one-and-a-half-year-old can: courting disaster with each step. (Just like Dash's father did on Sunday!)

Dustin Johnson waiting things out with son Tatum. pic.twitter.com/vTjyuwBred

— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelESPN) July 3, 2016

Dash, who turns four next week, is an old pro at looking cute for the camera. He's been running onto golf courses at a blistering pace, ever since his daddy started his remarkable victory streak last summer. Jason Day has won seven times in that stretch, but inexplicably collapsed over the final four holes on Sunday to let Tatum, er, Dustin, steal the spotlight.

Dash, Jason Day star in Father's Day commercial. https://t.co/CDKXMuuLdEpic.twitter.com/0PyAr11P2C

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 15, 2016

On Saturday, when Day was leading the tournament, Nick Faldo noted that he is "just a little better than everybody else in every department right now." To which Peter Kostis responded: "Somebody's gonna have to play some extraordinary golf to displace him, barring an injury, from world No. 1."

That somebody may be Johnson, who shot twin 4-under 66s over the weekend to finish at 6-under 274, a shot better than Scott Piercy, who also was runner-up to Johnson at Oakmont two weeks before. Day tumbled to a tie for third, another two shots back, with a 2-over 72. The Aussie was in command until bogeying the 15th and doubling No. 16.

With the win, Johnson moves to a career-best No. 2 in the world. Jordan Spieth, a mere kid himself at 22 compared to Day, 28, and Johnson, 32, falls to No. 3 despite tying Day and others for third, three shots behind Johnson.

Very often after a golfer has a breakthrough win, it is so life-altering that it's difficult to get back to good golf for a while, what we like to call a "major hangover," in a figurative sense. In our DraftKings preview last week, we said we didn't think Johnson would suffer such a fate after his first major win. He had brushed aside heartache so quickly many times, it reasoned that he'd respond to success similarly. And he did.

Johnson now ties Geoff Ogilvy for second with three career WGC wins, only FIFTEEN behind Tiger Woods. And if you don't think 18 WGCs factor in with 14 majors, well … but we digress.

Day, despite heading into Sunday with a share of the lead with Piercy and three shots ahead of Johnson, had not been at his best. Despite a 69 on Saturday, he had hit only three fairways on Saturday.

"I felt like Mr. Havercamp out of Caddyshack, trying to find his golf ball and not knowing where the golf hole goes," Day told reporters. Surely that went over the heads of Dash and Tatum, who aren't quite ready for such, um, cerebral entertainment, but golf fans always love a goodCaddyshack reference.

Still, Day was able to hang on until missing a 4-footer for par on 15, then rinsing his approach on the monster 655-yard 16th for a double. A closing bogey cost him only a share of second.

So now, the top golfers head to Royal Troon in two weeks for the Open Championship, a tournament Day was and still may be favored to win. But Johnson clearly has all the momentum. And despite no "Caddyshack" reference from him, he's becoming not only a better golfer (he gained more than 4½ strokes on the field in putting over the weekend), but a more popular one. While Day, Rory McIlroy and many others have snubbed the upcoming Olympic golf tournament, Johnson says he will represent the United States in Rio de Janeiro next month.

But until then, he and Day, as well as Tatum and Dash, will continue to battle it out.

MONDAY BACKSPIN

Scott Piercy

Piercy made be the quietest three-time winner ever on the PGA Tour. He's certainly made more noise by finishing second to Johnson in both a major and a WGC. There was little to suggest a month ago that this was on the horizon, as Piercy had had only one top-10 all season – in November. But sometimes something clicks for a while in a golfer (think: Kevin Kisner). And, while it may not carry Piercy for long, he could very well ride it out through the end of the season. He's now an astounding 25th in the world. That's ahead of Bill Haas, Daniel Berger, Justin Thomas and Jimmy Walker. Wow.

Jordan Spieth

Spieth is having a career year for most golfers. But not for him. He never had a sniff of the lead at Firestone but actually tied Day for third, along with Matt Kuchar and Kevin Chappell. And it cost him, ever so slightly, the No. 2 spot in the OWGR. Since winning in a diluted field at Colonial in May, Spieth stumbled at the Memorial and U.S. Open. Playing so well on a tough course in a big-time field, as he did this past week, shows us Spieth is close.

Steven Bowditch

What's the opposite of "close"? Trick question. The answer: Steven Bowditch. The last time Bowditch was in a WGC, he shot four rounds in the 80s. At Firestone, just two. But it still added up to 28-over-par and last place among those who played 72 holes. And for that, Bowditch gets our respect. It has to be terribly embarrassing for him. This doesn't happen often, a golfer who qualifies for big tournaments suddenly seeing his game fall off the planet. He could've easily packed it in, like Berger and Brooks Koepka (with injuries, albeit) and cashed a big check regardless. Plus, he's fighting off the Twitter trolls with grace and humor. … All that said, still don't pick him anymore,

Greg Chalmers

For years, the Australian has been one of the best putters in the world, thereby throwing another wrench into the popular refrain: Drive for show, putt for dough. There hadn't been much dough for Chalmers, scraping for tournament berths without a tour card. But he won the opposite-field Barracuda Championship on Sunday, securing his card, giving him a spot in the Open Championship and so much more. He had had only two-runner-ups in a winless 385 PGA Tour events dating to 1998. He moved from 490th in the world to 231st. … All that said, still don't pick him.

Gary Woodland

Gary, Gary, Gary. Here is Woodland, by far the best golfer in the lowly Barracuda, and once again he can't get it done on a Sunday. Of course, there was a reason he was in the lowly field and not at Firestone: because he can't get it done on Sunday, ranking 160th in final-round scoring average. Don't be fooled by Woodland; we were for far too long. We're not saying don't pick him anymore – just pick him at your own peril.

Thongchai Jaidee

The 46-year-old Thai impressively ran away with the French Open, which had siphoned off many stars from the Bridgestone. It was Jaidee's 19th worldwide win, sixth on the European Tour. He's often parlayed his Asian Tour success into some big tournaments, but without much to show for it. His best in a major is T13 in the 2009 Open Championship, and to figure he'll do well at Royal Troon is a reach.

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy finished five strokes behind Jaidee in third (Francesco Molinari was four back). He shot one round in the 60s, on Friday. The field was better than usual, but of course, far from a WGC. McIlroy's third-place finish is a lot less impressive than the one turned in by Spieth. There's little to suggest a stellar Open Championship for McIlroy. Other than he's Rory McIlroy and could emerge at any time.

Rafael Cabrera-Bello

The Spaniard finished fourth, a stroke behind McIlroy. He's up to 28th in the world (still behind Piercy!) and has had good showings at the recent majors, T17 at the Masters and T32 at the U.S. Open. Presumably, Royal Troon will be more to his liking, and familiarity. Cabrera Bello is in the field for this week's Scottish Open – that's the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, if you're scoring at home – and we'll be following the tournament closely, what with the PGA Tour dark this week. He's among the roughly dozen golfers in the OWGR's top 60 set to tee it up, along with Phil Mickelson, Branden Grace, Henrik Stenson, emerging Andy Sullivan and Jaidee.

Lee Westwood

The veteran Englishman had a soul-crushing Sunday at the U.S. Open, not only plummeting but having to walk alongside the victorious Johnson for 18 holes in the final pairing. No, a major win isn't likely in his future, but he did tie for 11th in Paris, is 39th in the world and could do quite well at Royal Troon.

Danny Willett

The Masters champion missed the cut at the French Open. He's had only one top-10 since April, which is understandable after a life-altering event. But that gives us pause heading to the Open Championship.