Sky Sports golf pundit Iona Stephen has recalled a mortifying moment when she accidentally called Dustin Johnson 'Justin Dohnson' during a live winner's interview. The incident occurred after Johnson won the inaugural Saudi International in 2021, a tournament co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
Speaking on the Rough Cut Golf Podcast, Stephen explained that she was under pressure to correctly name the tournament as the 'Saudi International' rather than the 'Saudi Invitational', which she kept repeating in her head. However, when the live cue came, she fumbled Johnson's name instead. 'I called the world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Justin Dohnson, live in a winner's interview,' she said. 'He looked at me, I looked at him. I wanted the ground to eat me up.'
Stephen, who joined Sky Sports in 2020, has since become a popular figure in golf broadcasting. Johnson, meanwhile, went on to join the LIV Golf breakaway league in 2022 and now captains the 4Aces team. He has earned over £44 million in LIV winnings, including a £13 million bonus for winning the 2022 individual championship.
The Saudi International was one of the first events co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, marking a significant moment in golf's global expansion. Stephen's on-air gaffe remains a memorable, if embarrassing, moment in her career.
