GOLF: Dustin Johnson’s major streak to end after WD from The Open final qualifying

Dustin Johnson will not attempt to qualify for next month’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, bringing an end to a pair of notable major streaks in his career.

Johnson will miss a major championship for the first time since the 2017 Masters, ending a run of 38 consecutive major starts. At the time, he was among the top-ranked players in the world but was forced to withdraw from the 2017 Masters due to a back injury sustained in the week leading up to the tournament.

His absence also ends an uninterrupted stretch at the Open Championship dating back to his debut in 2009. Since then, he has competed in all 16 editions of the tournament, highlighted by a runner-up finish in 2011 and five top-10 results overall.

The 42-year-old did not have an exemption into this year’s major and was required to go through qualifying to secure a spot in the field. He had been scheduled to compete in a 36-hole final qualifier on Tuesday at Dundonald Links in Scotland, but withdrew ahead of the event.

No reason was given for his decision to pull out. Johnson was not the only LIV Golf player to withdraw from final qualifying, as Spain’s David Puig and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz also opted not to participate.

A former world No. 1, Johnson is a two-time major champion with victories at the 2016 U.S. Open and the 2020 Masters. This year, he made the cut in all three of his major appearances, finishing tied for 33rd at the Masters, tied for 44th at the PGA Championship, and tied for 32nd at the U.S. Open. However, he has not won a LIV Golf event since February 2024.

— Field Level Media / Reuters