Dustin Johnson has opened himself up to criticism after seemingly deciding against taking part in qualifying for The Open Championship.
Johnson was one of the LIV Golf players set to tee it up in the final qualifying event ahead of the last major of the year. His exemption for winning in The Masters in 2020 has now ended.
It would not have been a surprise to see the two-time major champion earn his ticket to Royal Birkdale.
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There were flashes of the old Dustin Johnson at the US Open earlier this month, with the 42-year-old among the early pace-setters at Shinnecock Hills.
However, he is no longer listed among the players set to take on the final stage of qualifying for The Open Championship.
With that, there surely has to be serious questions about his future in the game.
What Dustin Johnson said about his game ahead of the PGA Championship
Johnson’s laidback style has led many to come to the conclusion that he has lost his passion for the game since taking the money on offer from LIV Golf. He was the highest ranked player to make the jump ahead of their first event.
His supporters will argue that perception is not fair. Johnson told LIV Golf just last month ahead of the PGA Championship that he felt that he was still one of the best players in the world.
He also described his streak of consecutive major appearances as ‘crazy’. That streak will now end at 70.
It is simply impossible for Johnson to claim that he views himself as one of the best players in the world when he is not prepared to put himself through 36 holes of qualifying for one of the four biggest events of the year.
His decision certainly plays into the hands of those who believe that Johnson is largely going through the motions at this stage of his career.
It is arguably an extremely damaging decision for LIV, too.
LIV Golf desperately needed Dustin Johnson to prove a point at The Open Championship
Throughout the league’s history, there have been accusations that the players have lost most of their motivation having received more money than they could ever imagine just for signing up.
Those on LIV will insist that nothing could be further from the truth. But it is an awful look for the league that one of their biggest names does not want to even try and get into the field for The Open Championship.
It should also be noted that Johnson was LIV’s last hope of having a player make the cut at every single major in 2026.
It is nothing short of embarrassing for LIV Golf that not one of their players will have made the cut at all four majors this year.
We have come some way since Scott O’Neil claimed in Adelaide in 2025 that LIV is the home of the best players in the world.
Why a PGA Tour return looks so unlikely for Dustin Johnson
Of course, the future of LIV is uncertain. The league is working to find fresh funding for the 2027 season once the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia has walked away.
While everything is up in the air, there are going to be questions asked about what the future holds for some of the league’s marquee names, including Johnson.
He did sign a new contract last year. However, it would be a surprise if there was a single LIV player not considering all of their options beyond this season.
Johnson would likely face some hefty penalties if he wanted to return to the PGA Tour. And obviously, he could end up being told that he needs to earn his place through the Challenger Series if he does not return next year.
If he is not prepared to travel to Scotland to play 36 holes in the hope of qualifying for The Open Championship, then it is hard to see how he would be prepared to spend at least a year playing track two events on the PGA Tour.
Maybe Johnson is completely misunderstood at this stage of his career. Maybe the idea that he does not care is completely wide of the mark.
The fact is, however, Johnson is doing very little to silence those who believe that he has largely checked out.
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