20 under par. That was Dustin Johnson’s overall score in the 2020 Masters, and it was a powerhouse achievement in more ways than one. Johnson beat both Cameron Smith and Sungjae Im by 5 strokes to win the tournament — his first time winning the Masters and his second time winning a major championship.
Johnson’s 20 under par also set a new record for the tournament overall. The previous record, 18 under par, was achieved by both Jordan Spieth in 2017 and Tiger Woods in 1997.
The tournament itself, usually held in the spring, was postponed this year due to the coronavirus. That led to some unexpected breaks from tradition, as well as a playing schedule that had to factor in fewer daylight hours. Further complicating matters this year was a rain delay early in the tournament, which created even more logistical headaches for players and organizers alike.
For Johnson, his Masters victory also served as break from a different kind of tradition: specifically, his history of blowing significant leads at major tournaments. Billy Heyen provided a good breakdown of Johnson’s career to date at the Sporting News. “Before the 2020 Masters, Johnson had held a 54-hole lead at a major championship four times,” Heyen wrote. “He’d failed to win each one of those four times.”
That Johnson was able to succeed in an area where he’d previously encountered frustration is impressive enough; that he set a new record when doing so is even more so. It’s a decisive achievement — and how he has the green jacket to show for it.
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