Dustin Johnson has hired a new caddie -- his old one.
The former Coastal Carolina All-American said Tuesday that he has rehired Bobby Brown, who was on his bag for four of his PGA Tour wins.
Brown also was at his side when Johnson shot 82 in the final round of the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and when Johnson was given a two-shot penalty in the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits for not realizing he was in a bunker on the final hole and grounding his club in the sand.
Johnson fired Brown in the spring and hired Joe LaCava, who then left Johnson in October to work for Tiger Woods.
Johnson is recovering from minor knee surgery. Brown, a California resident, told the Associated Press he and Johnson have remained friends and he's happy for another chance.
It's hard to determine if it's a good thing or a bad thing for Johnson, but if there was an issue that led to the separation previously, that same issue could linger. Many thought the two had become two buddy-buddy for the relationship to remain professional. Both Johnson and Brown are affable and easy going.
Hopefully there are no hard feelings that will surface at some point, either between Johnson and Brown or Brown and Johnson's swing coach, Butch Harmon. While Harmon professed to like Brown, he also thought the professionalism and experience of LaCava would be a beneficial for Johnson.
Brown finished the PGA Tour season with Clemson alum Kyle Stanley.
With Brown on the bag, Johnson won the Turning Stone Resort Championship late in his rookie year of 2008, the 2009 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and the 2010 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and BMW Championship.
He also won The Barclays in August, has won $13.5 million in official earnings in four years on the PGA Tour, and is ranked seventh in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Johnson had TaylorMade executive and tour rep Keith Sbarbaro caddying for him in his last couple events of 2011 in Australia.
