Johnson tunes up, 10th at Phoenix

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Zach Johnson returned to the Waste Management Phoenix Open for the first time in five years and finished with an even par 71 on Sunday to tie for 10th at 10-under par.

This particular event is known for the wild scene that is the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale.

On Sunday Johnson made a birdie putt on the par-3 and followed with a fist pump and wave to the loud, yet impressionable gallery.

Players often hand out hats or gifts to adoring fans as they make the walk along the bleachers from tee to green. This year Johnson passed out Oakley sunglasses, the hole's primary sponsor.

There was also some intense action on 16 last week as well. On Saturday, as Johnson and his group stood on the 4th tee, Italian Francesco Molinari made a hole-in-one on 16 and the ridiculous environment at the desert par 3 encased by bleachers got even wilder.

'We heard the crescendo, is that the right word?” Johnson said. 'We all looked at each other and went, ‘yep there's one.' It was pretty obvious.”

What also is obvious is Johnson's command of his driver at the moment on Tour. He currently ranks 18th in driving accuracy percentage and 11th in overall birdie average. During his first event of 2015 at January's Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Johnson's accurate driving led to him hitting 18 greens in his second round. That would lead to a seventh place finish.

Johnson finished tied for 64th the following week at the Sony Open, and he missed the cut last week at the Humana Challenge.

The driver and especially the irons are starting to come around, according to Johnson.

'I feel like it's very close,” Johnson said in comparing his game from last year to this. 'I'm kind of staying right now in the present. I feel like it's been pretty close. I think my iron play is consistently getting better week in and week out. I played pretty good in Maui. I had a chance to win there I guess you'd say.”

But there are other factors at the moment that Johnson must overcome to find his desired consistency.

'Last week I was sick. Still not quite over it, but feeling better. You know, it may not be quite where it was last year. I probably drove it just a smidge better - well, certainly all of '13 and into the beginning of '14 I was driving it great. I feel like my driver is coming along nice. It's just a matter of time.”

Looking for success in this his twelfth season on the PGA Tour Johnson said the keys to finding it will be simple: 'Patience and perseverance are two keys for sure.”

On Sunday, a double bogey on his final hole ruined an otherwise solid weekend. Having come into the final day tied for second, the double bogey also dropped him from a tie for fifth to a tie for tenth.

With his West Coast Swing completed, he's now off for the next three weeks. So, the question arises: How is his ping-pong game?

'Not very good,” Johnson laughs. 'It just needs to get sharp come October for the Presidents Cup.”

He's a seasonal competitor player in that sense.