Yet finally, and in the most bizarre final round of a US Open anywhere or anytime, the American discovered redemption on the humps and hollows and fiery greens of Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh.
On Sunday night, as he left the media centre here to be carted away in a buggy, there was not one of us who could begrudge him this moment.
Certainly not for the way he had dominated the field and the course in the final round of this 116th edition of the championship, but mostly because here was a man who had served his dues: if heartbreak was his lot, as it had been in many Majors in recent years, then he was entitled to savour and embrace his time.
Let’s be certain of one thing, Johnson’s win was a popular one amongst his peers. Rivals they may be week-in and week-out , but there was an overwhelming outpouring of goodwill towards the 31-year-old from his fellow tour players, across the divide.
Americans, Europeans, Asian. All saluted him, almost to a man.
Hard luck stories
Johnson’s past failings have sometimes been of his own making, sometimes because others simply played better.
He’s had his hard luck stories in abundance in recent Majors. In 2010 he brought a three-stroke lead into the final round of the US Open at Pebble Beach only to crash and burn and watch as Graeme McDowell won.
Later in 2010 there was his “bunker” infringement on the 72nd hole of the PGA at Whistling Staits which led to a two stroke penalty and missing out on a play-off.
In 2011 he propelled a two-iron out of bounds when duelling with Darren Clarke in the Open at Sandwich.
And last year at Chambers Bay he three-putted on the 72nd hole to open the door for Jordan Spieth. He’s been there, done that and worn the T-shirt in near misses.
In the past, Johnson also had “personal issues” which led to him taking a six-month “leave of absence” from the tour in 2014.
He denied that his absence was related to taking recreational drugs. “I would drink and drink to excess . . . the change I made is, I just don’t do that anymore.”
And on the golf course, he has finally let his shot-making do the talking in a Major with a tour de force display of driving.
In the US Open this display continued even when USGA rules officials informed him that he was in line for a possible one-shot penalty for his ball moving on the fifth green.
“I’ve got a great support system with (fiancée) Paulina, my son Tatum, my family (with his brother Austin on the bag), my team that’s around me, a great support system.
“ So it’s been a great road. I’m definitely a stronger person coming out the other side,” he said.
First champion
Johnson led the field in driving at Oakmont (316 yards) and also in greens-in-regulation (55 of 72), the first champion since Tiger Woods at Pebble Beach in 2000 to top both categories. He also became the fourth player – joining Bobby Jones (1923, ’25, ’29), Jack Nicklaus (1972), Payne Stewart (1998) and Woods (2008) – to rebound back after finishing runner-up the previous year.
“I felt like I’ve been playing well all year, just hadn’t quite got it done. So this was definitely a good time to get it done. But I had a lot of confidence in my game coming into this week.
“I’ve been driving it well. I’ve been hitting my irons well. I’ve been kind of doing everything pretty well. So coming into a golf course like this, especially where it’s a huge emphasis on driving, to come out and drive it like I did definitely is an advantage,” admitted Johnson.
Johnson’s next Major assignment will be the British Open at Royal Troon in little over three weeks’ time. A far different examination than the one presented at Oakmont, but one where he will head with no question marks over his ability to deliver on the big stage.
His six-iron approach from 191 yards to five-feet for a closing on the 72nd hole at the US Open was almost like providing an asterisk, just to let him know that it is shot-making that really speaks loudest of all.
