Chapman golf explains record-breaking Masters results

Dustin Johnson notched a 20-under-par score at the 2020 Masters Tournament, the lowest in tournament history. WikiCommons

Beautifully manicured grass, fresh air, rustling wildlife in the forest, roaring crowds seated in the grandstands above the 18th green. Audiences can normally count on seeing all these features at the Masters – a legendary golf tournament that takes place annually in Augusta, Georgia. 

Due to the impact of COVID-19, the 2020 Masters were different. No crowds, new course obstacles and rain changed the landscape of the Professional Golfers’ Association’s most cherished championship.

Yet despite these obstacles, the field of golfers witnessed the lowest score in its 84-year history. Dustin Johnson, 36, won his second major championship by posting 20-under par and beating the previous course record of 18-under set by both Tiger Woods and Jordan Speith. 

How’d he do it?

“He’s a god,” said Ming Lao, head coach of the Chapman golf team, of Johnson. “(Also), the course is easier. There were conditions that were not necessarily Masters-typical.” 

These conditions Lao mention pertain to the tall grass – known as the “rough” – that lines the fairway. Before this year, the Masters did not have thick rough lining each hole. Because of this, Lao says the balls would now be able to stop much sooner than before, keeping them from rolling deep into the forest surrounding the course.

Bradley Lu, a sophomore business administration major on Chapman golf, noted another factor that could have played into the physical features of the course being different. The Masters was played in November, as opposed to its usual date around mid-April. 

“It made the golf course a lot softer and a lot easier to play,” Lu said.

These “soft” conditions described by Lu are due to large amounts of rain the course might not normally get during its regularly scheduled tournament time in April. They allow players to control their shots easier than normal, Lu said, which could have helped not only Johnson, but the entire field, perform at a high level.

That being said, much of the credit does go to Johnson, who entered these Masters with his golf legacy at stake. Many saw him as someone who doesn’t take golf seriously; Lu said he likely took steps to improve his mentality heading into the tournament. 

“You have to go into a golf tournament knowing you can win,” Lu said. “You want to go in with goals. Say you want to shoot six-under; even if you can’t or don’t shoot six-under, you have to go in with that mindset.”

If Johnson’s goal was to break records, he certainly hit it. 

“He really got comfortable with his swing and was able to play like a zombie,” Lao said. “He played incredibly well. (Johnson) is the man.”