Johnson leaves PGA Championship with good feelings. Zach Johnson, that is.

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - The other Johnson at the PGA Championship left Whistling Straits with a lot to make him whistle a happy tune.

This tournament will forever be known as the one in which Dustin Johnson was given a two-shot penalty Sunday for grounding his club in a bunker, costing him a spot in the playoff won by Martin Kaymer over Bubba Watson.

Zach Johnson had no such dark cloud hanging over his head after the tourney. The son of Cedar Rapids gave a spirited run at winning his second career major victory to go with his 2007 Masters title, but finished one shot from that playoff and tied for third.

His 2-under-par 70 left him at 10-under 278, netted him $435,000, and had to enhance his profile in the eyes of U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin.

Pavin had eight of his 12 roster spots for the October event decided for him after Sunday's conclusion of the chase for Cup points, but has four at-large picks that he'll decide by Sept. 7.

He won't lack for candidates, and Tiger Woods seems a near-certainty. But Johnson would seem a strong contender to get one of those four spots based on his success and experience playing for three Ryder and Presidents Cup teams, and the way he played in this major.

“It's the best I've ever seen him hit the ball all week since I've been caddying for him,” Damon Green said, and Green has been Johnson's caddie since Johnson joined the PGA Tour in 2004.

“It was awesome. He drove it great and hit his irons just special.”

Had Johnson's tee shot on the par-3, 223-yard 17th hole not trickled off the back of the green and forced a chip that he nearly made, anyway, he might have putted in for a birdie and joined the playoff.

“He birdied 17 the first three days, which is pretty strong,” Green said. “I thought he stiffed it again. It was so pure. So pure.”

Johnson began the day five shots out of the lead, but leader Nick Watney quickly imploded and opened the tourney to the masses. Johnson was shot out of the lead after he birdied No. 10, fell back with a bogey on the 11th, then pulled back within a stroke with his birdie on 16.

But needing to birdie either 17 or 18 to tie Watson, who finished ahead of him, Johnson went par-par. He was short of the green on his second shot at 18, which only one player birdied all day.

Johnson was left to try to hole a shot from 40 yards away from the flagstick to tie for the lead. He had bogeyed that hole in each of his first three rounds.

The shot was long enough, but settled six feet from the cup. He made his par putt for his second-best finish in 27 career majors.

“I had my opportunities,” Johnson said. “Making a bogey on a par-5 (at 11) makes it really difficult.”

“You could say what could have been, but I think as time goes on it will be what was. And what was was really good.”

He agreed with his caddie about the way he struck the ball.

“If I had another time when I hit it that well four days in a row, I can't think what it is.

“I didn't three-putt all week. I just had a lot of opportunities on Thursday and Friday that slipped by.”

Johnson's swing coach and fellow Iowa native, Mike Bender, was here for the whole tourney. It was the first time all year he had spent an entire tourney with his pupil of the last decade.

“I didn't have to say anything to him all week,” Bender said. “I tried to answer any questions he had, but other than that, I stayed out of the way.”

About that Ryder Cup business: Johnson's finish here jumped him from 21st to 11th in the final U.S. points standings, making his name grow even louder in conversation about the at-large picks.

Anthony Kim and Lucas Glover are 9th and 10th, Tiger Woods 12th. Stewart Cink, last year's British Open champ, is also a candidate. Kim recently returned to play after taking three months off following thumb surgery.

Three PGA Tour events will be played before Pavin's decisions, including the first two FedExCup playoff events, which Johnson will play.

“This finish doesn't hurt,” Johnson said. “I got a text from Corey last night that said “Good playing,” but that was probably more as a friend than anything. We're pretty close.

“He's in a difficult position regardless of what he does. I'm going to support it no matter what because we're friends and because he'll make the right choices. I still have three more weeks to prove myself.”

Other members of Team Johnson have stronger opinions.

“In style of play (at the Ryder Cup's Celtic Manor course in Wales), you need good putters and good drivers,” Bender said. “That's Zach's expertise, typically.

“And, he's had good success in the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup. Great success.”

“He ain't afraid of the heat,” added Green, talking about pressure, not temperature. “A lot of guys are afraid.”