Six players could make history at this year’s British Open
By Bill Felber
Dustin Johnson
Johnson is one of two contemporary players making a strong drive up the peak performance charts. He began the year with a peak score of -1.45, ranking 57th. Now in the midst of the best major season of his career – he was runner-up at The Masters and PGA – Johnson has a chance to make a substantial positive move this week.
Unlike career rating, which counts every score of a player’s career, peak rating is selective; it measures only the average of a player’s 10 best scores during a five-season period. Were he to win the British Open, it’s not unreasonable to project Johnson’s peak score improving to as much as -1.80, and that would elevate his peak rank to the fringes of the top 20 all-time. He would be in the company of the early 1970s version of Tom Weiskopf.
Even a mere top 5 finish would raise Johnson’s peak score to about -1.70, moving him to the fringes of the peak top 25.
Johnson could also make a minor move up the career list, although his potential there is not nearly as dramatic. Entering the Open, his career score is -2.70, about 90th. A win could raise his career total to about -4.20, which would improve his standing about 10 places.