Dustin Johnson insists Donald Trump’s presence at LIV Golf is NOT a distraction as he opens up on his ‘good friendship’ with the previous president
Dustin Johnson insists Donald Trump’s presence at LIV Golf is NOT a distraction as he opens up on his ‘good friendship’ with the previous president
Dustin Johnson insisted that the furore and pleasure created by Donald Trump‘s presence at LIV Bedminster didn’t present any distractions.
Johnson is competing on the LIV Golf occasion on the former president’s New Jersey course because the breakaway circuit performs at Trump Nationwide Bedminster for the second season working.
The American shot himself right into a share of third place after the opening spherical on the eleventh event of LIV’s 2023 season Friday and he did so below the beady eye of Trump for the primary three holes.
The forty fifth President watched Johnson tee off on one and adopted behind his group for the opening three holes earlier than retiring to the occasion’s hospitality part.
Johnson revealed that it wasn’t the primary time he has shared the fairways with the 77-year-old.
Dustin Johnson insisted that Donald Trump’s presence at LIV Golf was not a distraction
The previous president stood on the primary tee as Johnson and his enjoying companions teed off Friday
Johnson later revealed that he and Trump have established a ‘good friendship’ through the years
‘I’ve identified President Trump for fairly some time,’ he informed reporters following his opening spherical.
‘I gained Doral when it was there, at Trump. He is in Palm Seaside, so we play a very good little bit of golf collectively. We have had a pleasant friendship through the years.’
Crowds swarmed across the first tee field to get a glimpse of Trump as he watched Johnson tee off alongside final week’s winner Bryson DeChambeau and Henrik Stenson.
The previous president waved to supporters within the gallery and chatted with the professionals forward of the shotgun begin.
Nevertheless, Johnson insisted that the fanfare and social gathering ambiance didn’t put him off his sport.
‘To me, there’s not any distractions,’ he stated when requested if the president’s presence or the music enjoying affected his mindset. ‘The one factor that may distract me is myself.
Trump adopted Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Henrik Stenson for the primary three holes
‘Whether or not I am enjoying LIV, a significant, PGA TOUR occasion, no matter it’s, I really feel the identical on the primary tee all the time simply because I need to play effectively. Nerves, however it’s like good nerves, simply because I need to do effectively. However yeah, I really feel the identical each time on the primary tee.’
He and his workforce, the 4Aces gained the workforce occasion at LIV Bedminster final 12 months and they’re going to look to copy their success once more this weekend.
Johnson and Patrick Reed each shot themselves into competition with opening rounds of three-under 68 to sit down tied-third on the leaderboard after spherical one.
Their contributions assist the workforce sit at three-under one-shot again of particular person chief Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC.
