Shock as Johnson to take immediate break from golf

Dustin Johnson has shocked the golf world by announcing he is to take an immediate leave of absence from the game.

It means sitting out next week’s USPGA Championship but could also include the lucrative FedEx Cup Play-Off series and more importantly the 2014 Ryder Cup.

His Hambric Sports management company issued a statement on the 30-year old’s behalf saying: “I am taking a leave of absence from professional golf, effective immediately. I will use this time to seek professional help for personal challenges I have faced. By committing the time and resources necessary to improve my mental health, physical well-being and emotional foundation, I am confident that I will be better equipped to fulfil my potential and become a consistent champion. I respectfully ask my fans, well-wishers and the media for privacy as I embark upon this mission of self-improvement.”

Not surprisingly, the PGA Tour issued a one-sentence statement saying it had nothing to add to the statement, and that has done no favours for one of the game’s biggest hitters.

Speculation and rumour is already ripe this week in Akron that Johnson has been handed a mandatory three-month PGA Tour ban, but then the Tour has never made public such details.

If true, then Johnson will suffer individually and financially but the news also is a huge blow to USA hopes of regaining the Ryder Cup this year at Gleneagles.

The double Ryder Cup star, who finished 12th in last fortnight’s British Open, was a certainty to qualify for Tom Watson’s team as he is currently ranked fifth overall on the Stars and Stripes points table.

Johnson is no stranger to controversy having been arrested for driving under the influence in 2009 while in 2007 the South Carolina-born golfer was arrested for purchasing bullets later used in a gangland killing.

If Johnson is out for three months, as many observers now believe, then he will be due to return a week prior to his defence of the October 6-commencing WGC-Champions event in Shanghai.

Meanwhile, on the course, Open champion Rory McIlroy shrugged off any Hoylake hangover despite posting a penultimate double bogey on the opening day of the WGC–Bridgestone Invitational.

McIlroy was two under par playing his 17th hole when he thinned a greenside bunker shot and then took a further three shots to get down ahead of rebounding in superb manner with a three-foot birdie at his last.

McIlroy’s one-under-par 69 left him four shots behind South African duo Charl Schwartzel and American Ryan Moore, who held the clubhouse lead in the $9m event with five-under-par 65s.

“I’m pleased to be back competing and I’ve always looked forward to this week as it’s always been a week I’ve enjoyed. Apart from the unfortunate double bogey on eight I am pretty happy with everything.”

Fellow US Open winner Graeme McDowell posted a 71 to match the score of playing partner and now close friend Hunter Mahan, the USA rival he humbled four years ago to win the Ryder Cup for Europe.