Dustin Johnson's ex-coach on eve of The Masters: "I'm not sure he's 100% committed anymore"

Dustin Johnson's former coach Butch Harmon says he doesn't believe the former Masters champion is '100 per cent committed to playing anymore'. 

Johnson, 40, heads into the first men's major of the year at Augusta National next week having fallen to 649th in the Official World Golf Ranking. 

That number, of course, doesn't take into account his LIV Golf performances yet DataGolf rankings also suggest Johnson has fallen off a cliff since his big-money move to the breakaway.

Back then, Johnson simply shrugged his shoulders and declared: "I just want to play less golf and make more money."

Johnson was also adamant he had a good five years left in the tank at the top of the men's game and still wanted to add to his haul of two major championship titles. 

Related:

• Butch Harmon on Dustin Johnson's form

The American was a controversial winner of the 2016 U.S. Open and he also triumphed at the 2020 Masters with a record-low score of 20-under. 

Since joining LIV, Johnson has participated in eight major championships and his best finish is a share of 10th place at the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. 

Half of those starts have also seen him miss the cut. 

Harmon - who is best known for his nine-year stint with Tiger Woods - also coached Johnson from 2010 to 2017. 

"I'm not sure," Harmon, 81, said when asked by GolfMagic what has happened to Johnson's form over the last two years. 

"I haven't talked to DJ. I'm not sure that he's 100 per cent committed to playing anymore. You know, he got paid a lot of money to go over there. 

"He won The Masters and the U.S. Open but I'm not sure his competitive drive is the same it used to be. 

"Brooks and Bryson still have that great competitive drive. Jon Rahm has gone down in the world rankings but he's still [competitive]."

Harmon doesn't have an issue with LIV Golf. 

In fact, at the turn of the year he criticised the PGA Tour for behaving 'arrogantly' in the golf wars. 

That being said, he believes the competitiveness of the PIF-backed league 'is just not the same'. 

"It's like a corporate outing," he said. "It's more of a fun environment but that's not going to be Augusta."

As many as 12 LIV Golf players will tee it up at the 2025 Masters. 

The aforementioned Rahm, Koepka and DeChambeau are the rival league's best hopes of winning the coveted green jacket.

Joaquin Niemann has received a special exemption from Augusta National.

Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel and Patrick Reed will play as former champions. 

Harmon believes Rory McIlroy is the 'clear favourite' despite Scottie Scheffler showing signs of a return to form at the Texas Children's Houston Open. 

His dark horse, though, is England's Tommy Fleetwood. 

Harmon stressed he wasn't just saying that because the European Ryder Cup star is one of his pupils. 

"I think Tommy is a little under-the-radar," Harmon said. 

"He's never won in the U.S. so the reporters leave him alone. 

"It's not his fault [he hasn't won] he's played some marvellous tournaments and some guys have just played a little better. 

"But I think Fleetwood's game - and I don't say this just because I coach him - I think his game suits the golf course. 

"I think if he can get that putter working I think he's the guy if you're looking for a dark horse then that's who I'd pick."

Harmon will be back on our screens next week as part of Sky Sports' coverage of The Masters. 

Enjoy 50 per cent more live coverage than ever before of The 2025 Masters, exclusively on Sky Sports and NOW from 10 April.