Dustin Johnson won’t defend China title

• Defending champion missing from this week’s event
• 30-year-old still on ‘leave of absence’ from professional golf
• Unlikely to return before first child is born next year
• Eight-time tour winner has also filed $3m suit against ex-advisors

A stellar field will assemble in Shanghai this week for the WGC-HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club – but one man who won’t be there is defending champion, Dustin Johnson.

The American, who won the title last year by three shots from England’s Ian Poulter, has been on a ‘leave of absence’ from professional golf since the end of July as he addresses ‘personal problems’.

A report on Golf.com later strongly suggested Johnson had been suspended by the PGA Tour for a failed drug test, a story that was subsequently refuted by the tour.

During his period away from the game, Johnson has also discovered that he will become a father early next year, when his fiancée Paulina Gretzky (pictured below with Johnson) gives birth to their first child. Talking to ESPN, Johnson’s agent David Winkle revealed that it is unlikely the 30-year-old will return to action before the birth.

“He will likely not return to action until after the baby arrives,” said David Winkle. “In the meantime, he is doing great and is very excited about becoming a father.”

Meanwhile, Johnson – who has sign his world ranking climb from 17th to 15th during his period of self-imposed exile – has also filed a lawsuit against his former advisors, after allegedly being scammed out of more than $3m by them.

The suit contests that money given by Johnson to Nathan Hardwick, formerly on the board of the Dustin Johnson Foundation, as an investment was, in fact, used by Hardwick and two others to cover shortages created when Hardwick allegedly embezzled more than $30m from the accounts and trust accounts of an Atlanta law firm.

According to Johnson, Hardwick asked him for the money for an investment and promised to give it back over a 30-month period. Hardwick, however, has refuted those claims.

Dustin Johnson :: Did you know?

Dustin Johnson is the first player since Tiger Woods win at least once in each of his first seven seasons on the PGA Tour since coming out of college.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor