“It’s a dream come true. As a kid, I always dreamed of being a Masters champion. It’s just incredible. I’ve never had this much trouble gathering myself,” declared an emotional Dustin Johnson when he lifted his first Masters win at Augusta National in 2020. “I’ve been interviewing Dustin since I started covering golf in 2011, and you kind of know what to expect,” expressed Balionis, recounting her surprise during their 2020 Masters interview.
Dustin Johnson’s connection to Augusta is deeply personal. Growing up just an hour away in Irmo, South Carolina, his childhood dream was always to win the Masters. So, he made the 2020 win worth it. He defeated Cameron Smith by five strokes to win his second major. Consequently, he set a new 72-hole scoring record of 20 under.
But that little confession didn’t just come out on its own. Amanda Balionis had posed that famous question: “So, Dustin, you’re wearing the green jacket. If you could tell the younger you, ‘Don’t worry. In 2020, Tiger Woods would be putting the green jacket on for your second major as you grew up just an hour away from here.’ What would you tell him?” And that was the reason Dustin Johnson almost broke down into tears on that eventful day. Balionis remembers that day just as vividly and happily.
Recently, she sat down for an interview for The Masters and shared one of her most memorable moments. Balionis began by describing how “surreal” being at Augusta National felt before adding that her interview with Dustin Johnson “was one of the–I think the coolest moments of my entire career.” Balionis further describes the scene and adds the great presence of Johnson’s wife and brother. “And you can tell this is the first moment Dustin has had to take a breath and soak in what he has just accomplished with the green jacket on. And when he broke down in that interview, I just thought, ‘This is the Dustin Johnson everyone’s been dying to see.”
phew. this is something pic.twitter.com/EmZm6LgeeS
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) November 15, 2020
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Amanda Balionis mentioned this in an interview. Back in 2024, Balionis sat down to talk with Links Magazine. She mentioned her interview with Dustin Johnson once again and added, “When he got vulnerable with us.” Even more interesting is the fact that Balionis has been interviewing Johnson since 2011 and has seen it all. Talking about his habit of downplaying his games, Balionis said the reason the 2020 Masters was different is because “It really just hit him in that moment that he’d accomplished his childhood dream.”
Johnson mentioned that winning the Masters in the presence of his brother felt terrific, “I just love experiencing all these moments with him. I wouldn’t want it any other way.’’ The brothers grew up in Irmo, S.C., an hour from Augusta National, practicing late into the night at Weed Hill Driving Range, dreaming of winning the Masters. The question now: will we see that dream come true this season?
Can Dustin Johnson clinch his second Masters win in the 2025 season?
Of course, the path to clinching the Masters Tournament win isn’t an easy feat. And that is why every win at Augusta National is so precious. Something that Dustin Johnson, no doubt, understands. Back in 2020, having clinched his second major win, the golfer said, that winning the Masters meant everything to him, his family, and Paulina, emphasizing it was a dream he’d always worked hard to achieve. “To finally have the dream come true, I think that’s why you see all that emotion.’’ Dream achieved, but the journey isn’t over; it’s time for Johnson to chase that green jacket once more! So, is that possible?
The answer can be “yes,” “no,” or “maybe,” depending on your faith. The LIV golfer has made it into 14 Masters Tournaments, starting in 2009. His best, without a doubt, came in 2020. However, his best performance along with that came in 2019 (T2), 2016 (T4), 2015 (T6), and 2018 (T10). Every single top performance came before his first Masters win. And how did he perform at Augusta National after that?
Not very well, honestly. Since 2020, Johnson has appeared in four Masters Tournaments and missed cuts in 2021 and 2024. His best performance in these four years came in 2022 with a T12. Next best? It was the T48 finish in 2023. For his performance this year, Johnson’s best came at the recently concluded LIV Golf event in Singapore with a T5. But, along with 12 LIV golfers, Dustin Johnson will once again be back at Augusta National. And he may, very quickly, turn the tables. Do you have that faith in him?
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