In his competitive prime, Johnson Wagner knocked down enough flagsticks and drained enough big putts to win three times on the PGA Tour.
But he’s better known these days for striking shots that don’t count toward his score.
As a reporter and analyst, first for NBC/Golf Channel and now for CBS Sports, Wagner, 46, has gained a fervent fan base for a segment in which he recreates (or attempts to, anyway) pivotal moments from that day’s action.
For golf junkies, it’s must-see TV. But how did it come about?
On a recent episode of GOLF’s Subpar podcast, Johnson told the origin story.
It happened in the opening round of the 2024 Players Championship, where Rory McIlroy, having hooked his drive into the water on the par-4 7th hole, took what some regarded as a questionable drop. The incident sparked a discussion with McIlroy’s playing partners, Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland, over where the ball had crossed the hazard line.
For Johnson, it also sparked a thought, which he shared with his producers.
“If we get the camera angle that shows the ball bounce and I throw it into the ground, I can prove that (Rory) took a good drop,” Johnson said, recounting the conversation with his bosses to Subpar co-hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz.
Given the green light, Johnson went out to the 7th hole later in the day to do exactly that. He was with his son, which was helpful. The two played a game of long toss so Johnson wouldn’t blow his arm out.
“I need to get to 180 ball speed,” he said.
The warm-up went well. But nothing could have prepared him for what transpired when he threw the ball for real, only to watch it land just above the red hazard line and dart left. The evidence seemed damning. Leaving the course after the film, Johnson called his producer to voice concern.
“I feel like I proved that Rory took a bad drop,” Johnson said.
His producer had good news.
“Have you checked social media?”
The segment was a hit. A viral star was born. And he soon had a chance to shine again. The following day, during the second round of the Players, McIlroy hit another poor drive on the 7th, a block into the trees, which he followed with nifty recovery: a low-hook bounce shot to get back in play.
For the second time in two rounds, Johnson went out to recreate the shot. Easier said than done. Johnson’s attempt caromed off a tree and bounced back at him.
“It wasn’t a shank,” Johnson said, though many delighted viewers believed it was.
Not that it mattered. Johnson and Golf Channel were clearly onto something. Who could forget, for instance, the moment in the gloaming at Pinehurst No. 2 in June 2024, when Johnson attempted to replicate Bryson DeChambeau’s U.S. Open-clinching blast from a green-side bunker on the 18th hole?
If that one escapes you, not to worry. Johnson recounts the details on the podcast, too. You can watch the entire episode below.
