Dustin Johnson May Be Next for Lifetime Exemption on PGA Tour

Dustin Johnson has firmly established himself as one of the greatest golfers of this generation. Now, it’s just a matter of time before he earns one of the most elusive titles on the PGA TOUR: lifetime membership.

Dustin Johnson probably does not get the respect he deserves for his excellent golf. But with his victory at the WGC-Mexico tournament, we really need to look at him in a new way. He has just entered elite territory with his most recent win. Soon he will qualify for the best status available to any PGA Tour player: the Lifetime Exemption.

With 20 victories, DJ only has to play three more seasons, whether he wins again or doesn’t, and he’s a lifetime member. That means he can never lose his PGA Tour card.

DJ becomes eligible for a Lifetime Membership as soon as he completes 15 seasons. This is his 12th. There are only two current PGA Tour members who could get there faster. Ernie Els, age 49, needs one more tournament title to reach the magic 20 number. Jim Furyk, age 48, needs three. Will they get there first?

Including Johnson, there are 38 players in the history of the PGA Tour who have 20 or more victories. That’s going back to the days of Walter Hagen and Lighthorse Harry Cooper. However, other than Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Davis Love III, the others who have reached or surpassed that magic are either mostly on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, retired from playing or have gone on to the great golf course in the sky.

Those who play seldom, but could play, include names like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Gary Player, Raymond Floyd, Lanny Wadkins, Greg Norman and Doug Sanders. Those still playing include Hale Irwin and Vijay Singh. So, it’s a just a handful of truly elite players.

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According to the PGA Tour, DJ became the ninth player since 1960 to win 20 PGA Tour events before aging up to 35. He’s still just 34. The others and their ages when they reached 20 victories are: Tiger Woods (24), Jack Nicklaus (26), Tom Watson (30), Arnold Palmer (31), Phil Mickelson (31), Billy Casper (31), Johnny Miller (33), Gene Littler (34). That’s pretty good company. And it’s one reason we may need to rethink Johnson’s position in golf.

We don’t think of Dustin Johnson as dominating history, but in PGA Tour victory totals, since turning pro in 2007, he is leaving his peers in the rear-view mirror. Those closest to him in wins include Rory McIlroy, who turned pro the same year as DJ, with 14; Adam Scott, who turned pro in 2000, with 13; Jason Day, who turned pro in 2006, with 12; and Jordan Spieth, who turned pro in 2012, with 11. McIlroy did not join the PGA Tour until 2010. In addition to his 14 titles on the PGA Tour, he has eight victories on the European Tour.

Since he began working with Butch Harmon, DJ has paid more attention to the aspects of his game that needed polishing, particularly his wedge game and his short game. He was already long, and for whatever reason, he is able to hit his drives long and mostly straight when it counts.

The last time he was unable to beat a guy with a similar power game was when he and Brooks Koepka were paired in the final round of the U.S. Open. On that afternoon, Koepka had it and DJ just did not. It happens to the best from time to time. Just ask Jack Nicklaus who finished second in majors 19 times.

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So now the question becomes, how many PGA Tour titles can Dustin Johnson win in his career? He’s already won 20. Will he get to 30? Only 18 golfers in history have done that. Could he get to 40 and surpass Vijay Singh, Tom Watson and Gene Sarazen? He has plenty of time left, and he has plenty of talent. Thirty seems like a no-brainer. The question is will he get to 40 or beyond? We will just have to wait and count the victories as they come.

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