2021 Travelers Championship: Top 10 power rankings at TPC River Highlands

Dustin Johnson may have ceded his world No. 1 ranking to Jon Rahm, but at least DJ’s game is trending back upward.

The big guy went from his win in February at the European Tour’s Saudi International to June without a top 10. It was pretty surprising stuff that led to speculation about injury problems or something else.

Johnson got back on track in his home state of South Carolina to contend at the Palmetto Championship and finish T-10th.

The top-10 streak ended at one, but DJ managed T-19th last week at Torrey Pines that included a Saturday 68 that gave him an outside chance to win the U.S. Open going into Sunday.

He has a tendency to heat back up in a hurry, and this week’s locale could set the stage.

In just his fourth start at the Travelers Championship, and after no top-30s previously, DJ defeated a stacked field at TPC River Highlands in 2020.

Rounds of 69-64-61-67 helped him to a one-shot victory over Kevin Streelman. His third round 61 was three off the course record set by Jim Furyk’s PGA Tour all-time low score of 58 in 2016.

Johnson assessed what he thought is important to play well here in an ASAP Sports transcription from 2020:

“I just want to hit it off the fairway, especially around here, because the rough is pretty thick,” Johnson said. “It’s hard to control the golf ball. The greens are fast and kind of firm. For me, it doesn’t really matter what distance I’m playing from, as long as I’m in the fairway.”

Johnson can’t totally max out his advantage with driver this week, but there is still a lot he can bite off to leave short clubs into greens. The Coastal Carolina alum ranks 19th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee (.53). He’s also 32nd in SG approach (.478), which factors in a rank of 41st in proximity from 125-150 yards (21’10”).