Staff WriterBy any measure, Dustin Johnson remains one of golf’s biggest box-office names — and this week, the two-time Major champion is hoping his presence at the International Series Philippines does more than just fill the fairways. He’s out to help grow the game across one of Asia’s most passionate sporting nations.
The 2016 U.S. Open and 2020 Masters winner tees off at 11:40 a.m. at Sta. Elena Golf Club, flanked by 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and Filipino favourite Miguel Tabuena — a trio guaranteed to draw crowds thick enough to make the galleries hum.
It’s Johnson’s first appearance on The International Series this season, and the 4Aces GC captain from LIV Golf sounded genuinely fired up to be back flying the flag for the sport’s global expansion.
“I think growing the game is very important. Obviously, LIV Golf has done a great job leading that effort,” said Johnson. “The International Series and the Asian Tour continue to expand golf’s reach by playing all over the world, bringing golf to parts of the world that I have never been to, and that a lot of golfers have never been to.
“I think this is great for the game. The game of golf is growing a lot, and playing in places like this really helps.”
For a man who’s made winning look effortless for nearly two decades, 2025 has been a rare off-year. Since bursting onto the PGA Tour in 2008 and claiming his first win at the Turning Stone Resort Championship, Dustin Johnson has captured at least one title almost every season. This, however, marks his first winless campaign since 2014 — with a third-place finish at LIV Golf Indianapolis his best effort of the year.
Still, if there’s one thing golf fans know about DJ, it’s that confidence has never been in short supply. Even without a practice round at Sta. Elena, he wasn’t losing any sleep.
“This will actually be my first look at the course — I am heading out this afternoon,” he said with a shrug. “It is a golf course. I have played enough courses by now. I have got a good caddie, so hopefully he will go out and scout the course, tell me where to hit it. Then as long as my game is in good form, I’ll be able to hit it there.”
Joining Johnson in the spotlight is 4Aces GC teammate Patrick Reed, who’s been doing his homework. The 2018 Masters champion has already sized up Sta. Elena and believes it’s got the kind of teeth that rewards precision — and punishes arrogance.
“I saw the golf course on Monday. I played nine and then nine yesterday,” Reed said. “Yeah, the golf course is a major golf course. You have got to work the ball both ways, and as long as you are driving it relatively long and straight, the golf course is accessible.
“But if you are off with the tee shots, it could be a long week. So the golf course looks good. I heard they had some really bad weather — a typhoon last Sunday — and I feel like the golf course has held up really nicely.”
Reed, who tees off at 11:30 a.m. alongside John Catlin and Dean Burmester, has the par fives circled on his scorecard as key to a second victory this season following his LIV Golf Dallas triumph in June.
![Players with the coveted trophy [L-R] Sean Ramos of the Philippines, Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines, Dustin Johnson of the USA, Patrick Reed of the USA, pictured during the photocall ahead of International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus at Sta Elena Golf Club.](https://lovelivegolf.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Sean-Ramos-of-the-Philippines-Miguel-Tabuena-of-the-Philippines-Dustin-Johnson-of-the-USA-Patrick-Reed-of-the-USA-1024x683.jpg)
“I feel like every hole can turn, but really it seems like these par fives — you have to kind of attack them,” Reed said. “If you hit a quality tee shot, it is not a guarantee after that point. You look at 10, there’s trouble near the green; same for 16. Hit too far left, and you bring the hazard into play. Miss to the right, and it is wet and nasty trying to get it up and down.
“The par threes on the front are beasts compared to the back. For me, the big thing is driving it straight and being smart on the par fives.”
The International Series Philippines runs from 23–26 October, pairing top-level golf with a festival atmosphere. Fans can expect headline concerts, premium hospitality, live music, gourmet dining, and immersive fan zones throughout the week.
Entry on Thursday and Friday is free, and tickets are available via bit.ly/4mP5bAH.
With Dustin Johnson in town, expect the galleries to swell and the fairways to buzz — because when DJ shows up, golf tends to follow suit.
