Dustin’s long, but Woodland’s longer

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Dustin Johnson’s booming drives have been the talk of Sydney ahead of this week’s Australian Open, but he’s not the longest.

Dustin Johnson’s booming drives have been the talk of Sydney ahead of this week’s Australian Open – but he’s not the game’s longest.

Not in the eyes of Tiger Woods.

“Dustin’s not the longest,” Woods told the media at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney on Tuesday..

“Gary Woodland hits it forever. He’s got another gear that Dustin or Bubba (Watson) just don’t have.

“The stats sheet is very misleading so, to us as players, they mean nothing,” Woods said of the statistical fact that Johnson averageed just on 290 yards on the US PGA Tour this year.

“When you see guys on the range, that’s when you really know who’s longest,” Woods added after pointing out that big-hitters often used fairway woods off the tee too lay-up when they considered it too dangherous to go with their drivers

That said, Johnson’s firepower is nevertheless expected to attract a decent gallery, who no doubt will be hoping he plays aggressively and uses his driver regularly.

“I’ll hit a bunch of drivers on the front (nine),” he has promised

“On the back nine, though, there are a few holes where I would lay up.”

Johnson’s strength and athletic ability could so easily have led to him carving out a professional career in a variety of sports. For a start, he was a highly gifted basketball player, but golf was always his first love.

“I really like the individual aspect of golf,” said the American, who was a little unkucky not to have won his first major at last year’s US PGA Championship.

He missed out on the play-off by two strokes, after being penalised two strokes for grounding his club in a sandy area well trodden by spectators but deemed to be a bunker at the final hole.

He’s not looking to repeat that mistake here in Sydney this week and especially not in Melbourne next week where he will be representing the USA in the Presidenrs Cup

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