Augusta is not exactly home to Dustin Johnson of Columbia, South Carolina. But it is close. And that in and of itself makes playing in the 2009 Masters very special.

“As a kid, I always dreamed about playing the Masters,” he says. “And I always needed that putt to win the Masters when my buddies and I played against each other. It was always about winning at Augusta.”

Johnson had never even played Augusta before coming down two weeks ago for three days of practice rounds. “It was a lot of fun,” says the lanky, 24-year-old, who won the rain-abbreviated AT&T Pro-AM earlier this year and finished tied for 10th at the Northern Trust Open.

But he admits that it was a lot different when he went out to play his first practice round of Masters Week Monday morning, with thousands of patrons on the course. “I was a little nervous at first, with everyone lined up along the first hole,” he says. “Even if it was only Monday, and even if it was only a practice round.”

But Johnson cracked a good drive, then went on to play nine holes by himself. “It was good to get started,” he said.