Is Zach Johnson 3rd Best U.S. Golfer?

Every Monday during the PGA Tour season, Monday Pin Placement will run as a wrap-up of the weekend's action. Basically, we'll focus on what you missed while you were out grinding on the putting green.

Johnson Delivers Another Playoff Victory -- Before April of 2007, Zach Johnson was a relative nobody in the golf world. He'd won the BellSouth Classic back in 2004, but he hadn't been making noise before he headed to Augusta National last year.

Yet twelve strategic lay-ups and a bunch of well played golf had Johnson wearing his first green jacket. Johnson's 2007 Masters win made us believe that golf isn't just about booming tee shots and big names.

What we didn't expect was Johnson would become a staple on tour. He was supposed to be Rich Beem or Shaun Micheel or even Todd Hamilton. On golf's radar for a second, then gone.

Yet Zach won a month after the Masters and has now won three tournaments in the last eight months. So, the question now has to be put out there -- is Johnson the third best American golfer currently playing on the PGA Tour?

A few names immediately come to mind to argue. Anthony Kim, Jim Furyk and Kenny Perry popped up in my head first. Also, Sean O'Hair has made a name for himself this year and can't be left out of the conversation.

But here are the points on Zach. So far in 2009 he has as many wins (two) as any other player on tour, American or otherwise. Johnson currently sits atop the FedEx Cup list, which is basically the barometer for who is playing the best in a particular year. And on top of all of that, no American has three wins in the same span that Johnson has.

I believe that Johnson is currently the third best American playing golf. Sure, that could change in the next two months if Kim got hot or Hunter Mahan started reeling off victories, but right now there isn't another player not named Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson that you'd want to represent this country with a 9-iron. On top of all that, the guy is pretty darn clutch. In both playoffs he has won, Johnson has made a birdie on the first extra hole. His craftiness on the 18th hole Sunday against James Driscoll just showed how great of a ballstriker the guy has become. Johnson hit a 6-iron into the wind from 166, just below the hole, leaving an easy look and another trophy.

Who knew that the kid from Iowa that burst on our scene two years ago at Augusta would quickly become a golf superstar? He sure fooled me.

Another Duval-like Performance -- As a golf writer, even being allowed to write something up about David Duval and the possibility that he might be coming to form is rewarding. I can still remember the living room I was in when Duval hit his tee shot on 17 during the 1999 Players Championship. The guy was on top of the world and as he was standing on that tee box, there wasn't a doubt in my mind he'd find the island green and go on to win the fifth major.

Duval may never be the same, but his 66 on Thursday made us remember how good it was to have a competitor around that could actually close out a tournament. After his 66, rounds of 69-72-71 meant another middle of the pack finish for the now 37-year-old Duval, but at one point on Friday, after he had made four birdies on the front nine to move to 8-under, "Duval" was on the first page of the leaderboard. It didn't stay there long, but it was a refreshing trip down memory lane for the once great golfer.