[Golf Topic] 'Number 1' Johnson "Resting More Than Playing Before Defending Masters Title~"

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] ○... "Recharging energy instead of a mock test."

World No. 1 Dustin Johnson (USA, photo) will skip the Valero Texas Open (total prize money $7.7 million) held on the night of the 1st. On the 30th (Korean time), he announced via SNS, "I will rest at home during the tournament period and focus on preparing for the Masters." He changed his original participation plan. He added an apology, saying, "It was a decision made after careful consideration," and "I am sorry to the sponsors and golf fans in San Antonio, the host city."

Johnson achieved a 5-stroke victory (20-under 268) at the 'Autumn Masters' last November, setting a remarkable record for the lowest tournament score. This time, he was aiming to defend his title. It seems that his elimination from the group stage of the World Golf Championships (WGC) Series Dell Technologies Match Play (total prize money $10.5 million), which ended on the 29th, influenced his decision. On the last day of the preliminaries, he was caught off guard by Kevin Na (USA), resulting in 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss, failing to advance to the round of 16.

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