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TSN Senior Reporter

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If there was any doubt as to who the favourite was heading into Augusta, it was put to rest on Sunday as Dustin Johnson won his third consecutive start and second straight World Golf Championship event.

After Johnson’s win over Jon Rahm in the final he moved to a 5-to-1 favourite by Las Vegas odds makers to grab a Green Jacket in two weeks time.

The Match Play victory was, at least outwardly, a dominating performance for Johnson, who never trailed during any of his seven matches, totaling 112 holes. He’s now won six times since capturing the U.S. Open last June and can add one more to that total – he’s in the field this week for the Shell Houston Open.

“It's impossible to win every week,” Johnson said, tempering expectations. “I know that. Obviously I've won my last three. But I'm just going to have to keep working hard. Keep working on the things that I'm working on right now. And just keep trying to get better.”

Johnson’s play over the seven rounds of the Match Play had some highs and lows. He played better over his first five matches than in the semi and final, where his driving accuracy and putting were off somewhat.

Still, as is often the case in match play, he was more than good enough to win. Whether he can get away with some mediocre putting at Augusta is another matter. He tied for fourth there last year and was tied for sixth in 2015.

“The Masters is always a tournament that I look forward to every year,” Johnson stated. “I really like that golf course. I really like going to Augusta. It's one of my favorite tournaments to play every year. I've actually played good there the last two years. I'm excited to go back when the game is in good form. I feel like everything is working pretty well.”

It’s hard to argue with that right now.

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David Hearn posted his second top-20 finish in his last three starts at the Puerto Rico Open, the opposite field event held last week. He birdied the final two holes on Sunday for a tie for 17th. The Brantford, Ont. veteran will tee it up this week at the Shell Houston Open hoping to build on his improving play.

In the off-season, Hearn hired a new coach and began making some tweaks to his swing. At the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he stated that the hard work at ingraining the alterations were finally starting to click and he was optimistic that he’d start seeing the results. It appears so far, so good.

Hearn will also be busy off the course over the next few weeks. He and his wife Heather are expecting the arrival of a new baby in the next few weeks.

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There was a Canadian winner at the Puerto Rico Open. While American D.A. Points was the winner, his caddie was Mike Darby, a veteran looper from Vancouver.

Darby guided Points to his third Tour win and his first since 2013.

Points had struggled the last two years, being forced back to the Web.com Tour qualifying at the end of last season. The victory gives him a two-year exemption.

Darby, who started caddying on the Canadian Tour, now has two wins in opposite field tournaments. He was on the bag for Abbostsford, B.C.’s Nick Taylor when he won the Sanderson Farms Championship in 2014.

Over the years Darby has carried the bag for the likes Adam Hadwin, David Lingmerth and James Hahn.