NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA — Dustin Johnson knows where he will be this weekend. For just the second time in his last five major championships, the Jupiter resident will be playing on Saturday and Sunday, having survived the early wind at the PGA Championship to shoot an even-par 70 in the second round.
But that’s about all DJ knows when it comes to his future. Not his immediate future, though, which has a U.S. Open and whatever events LIV Golf does not postpone for 2026. But the long term, which the 41-year-old is taking day-by-day and certainly not losing sleep over.
“I have no (expletive) idea right now,” Johnson said, matter of factly, when asked about his future.
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This is all because of LIV, the four-year old golf league now on life support. Johnson’s take on the future of LIV was not quite as optimistic when asked at the PGA Championship as it was when he answered a similar question a week ago at LIV’s event in Virginia.
Then, he was the good soldier, saying LIV is in a “pretty good spot,” and he is “confident in the people running the show.”
But after 36 holes at Aronimink Golf Club, where he is 2-over par, Johnson first complimented CEO Scott O’Neil for the job he is doing, before giving an outlook on LIV’s future that was not quite as optimistic.
“I think your guess is as good as mine on what happens at the end of this year,” he said.
Johnson’s pocket has benefitted much more than golf game since LIV
Johnson, who is married to hockey legend Wayne Gretzky’s daughter, Paulina, was a LIV bonus baby, helping launch the league as one of its early marquee signings. That was in 2022, when the league was touting its future as a pioneer in the sport. Four years later, it’s on the brink of collapse with the Saudi Public Investment Fund no longer bankrolling the tour after 2026.
That means a lot of uncertainty for a lot of players when it comes to their golf future, even a player like Johnson who left the PGA Tour as one of its stars, but whose golf has become irrelevant thanks to LIV.
But not his bank account.
Johnson is in the PGA Championship on a special invite. His world ranking of 471 is the second lowest in the field besides the club pros.
This is a man who spent 135 weeks at No. 1 in the world — the fourth most all-time — has won two majors among his 24 career PGA Tour wins and has played in five Ryder Cups, including going 5-0-0 at Whistling Straits in 2021.
A World Golf Hall of Fame career.
But then came LIV. Between his reported $125 million contract and prize money, Johnson has accounted to close to $200 million of that $5.3 billion the PIF has poured into keeping LIV alive. That does not include his extension signed after the 2025 season.
Johnson was the best LIV golfer the first year, winning the individual title. But he has not won in more than two years and has one top 10 in seven LIV events this season.
Some have questioned his desire since LIV provided him additional security for generations even if he finished last in every event.
Johnson was asked after his second round at PGA Championship if he cares if LIV even survives.
“Yeah, I mean, I do,” he said. “I enjoy it. I’m having a lot of fun. It’s good competition. I feel like the fields are strong every week. We’ve got some really good players out there.”
Not a passionate endorsement.
Dustin Johnson’s majors success has tailed off since LIV
Johnson has a long history of playing majors dating to 2008. And, for sure, there have been tremendous highs with 21 top 10 finishes, including winning the 2016 U.S. Open and 2020 Masters.
Lately, though, it has been a struggle. Johnson has missed eight cuts in majors the last five years, including three in 2025, which is one more than the 13 previous years. He was T33 at this year’s Masters and he has gone 10 consecutive majors without a top 10.
Johnson pins it to one aspect of his game.
“Just the driving,” he said. “When I was playing at my best, I was driving really, really well. It’s close. I feel like it’s really close. There’s days where I’m driving really well. It’s just the misses is what’s killing me.”
To his point, Johnson hit just four fairways in the second round. At one point in the afternoon, he was ranked in the bottom five in the 156-man field in strokes gained: off the tee.
So what’s the solution?
“All it takes is one,” he said. “I know it’s crazy as that sounds, but it’s like one swing where I feel like when I need to, and I feel like it’s back, but I just haven’t felt that yet.
“It’s coming though. I just got to keep hitting them until it comes.”
Tom D’Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.
PGA Championship
May 14-17
Aronimink Golf Club, Newtown Square, Pa.
TV: ESPN, CBS
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Dustin Johnson does not seemed overly concerned about LIV’s future
Reporting by Tom D’Angelo, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
