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Dustin Johnson Withdraws from 2021 AT&T Byron Nelson

By Tim Letcher

PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA - MAY 01: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his shot from the ninth tee during the third round of the Valspar Championship on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort on May 01, 2021 in Palm Harbor, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
PALM HARBOR, FLORIDA - MAY 01: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his shot from the ninth tee during the third round of the Valspar Championship on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort on May 01, 2021 in Palm Harbor, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /
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Dustin Johnson has withdrawn from this week’s 2021 AT&T Byron Nelson due to continuing discomfort in his surgically-repaired knee. DJ made the announcement on Monday.

Johnson was hoping to use the Nelson as a primer for the PGA Championship, which is next week at Kiawah Island in South Carolina. Instead, Johnson will rest the knee in hopes that he can be healthy enough to play in the season’s second major.

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DJ has not been on top of his game lately. Two weeks ago, he was 48th at the Valspar Championship. That continued a run of events in which Johnson has been less than himself.

After a T8 at the Genesis Invitational in February, Johnson has struggled. He tied for 54th at the WGC-Workday Championship, followed by a T48 at the Players Championship and a T28 ad the WGC-Match Play.

As the calendar turned to April, DJ missed the cut while attempting to defend his title at the Masters. He shot 74-75 and was only around on the weekend to present the green jacket to Hideki Matsuyama.

DJ did have a T13 at the RBC Heritage but slipped back at the Valspar last week.

He is still the top-ranked player in the world but DJ is clearly not playing as well as he did last year, or even earlier this season. After winning the FedEx Cup in impressive fashion at the end of the 2019-20 season, DJ carried momentum into the 2020-21 season.

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It started with a T6 in the U.S. Open, where he opened with a 73 but bounced back nicely. After taking about six weeks off, he finished T2 at the Houston Open, followed by his win at the November Masters.

DJ now must get the necessary rest and rehab this week before the PGA next week. If he can get himself right, he will be among the favorites in South Carolina.

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