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If there was ever a year for Dustin Johnson to reign supremacy on the PGA Tour, it was 2010. Courses around America were defenseless for the Coastal Carolina product’s wicked length.

Two victories yielded high praise indeed, but it’s what he didn’t accomplish that still stalks him in 2012.

Legend has it, that the then-25-year-old took a three stroke lead into the final round of the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and promptly coughed it up on the 56th hole. An insurmountable wave of pressure derailed his placid confidence.

When the national stage beckoned for more Dustin at the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, the agony was even more palpable. On the 72nd hole, a misjudged grounding-of-the-club resulted in a debilitating two-stroke penalty that kept him out of an ensuing playoff. Germany’s Martin Kaymer walked away with a stunning victory.

Two years removed, we are still waiting for American golf’s “sure thing” to land a major championship. A distant T-2 at last year’s British Open was progress, but getting cut at the sequential PGA Championship was anything but.

In 2012, the seasoned 27-year-old may finally be ready for a jacket, jug or something large and silver. The pieces are on the table, he just needs to assemble them.

My spin: It will take a lot to hold Johnson back from claiming what may have rightfully been his in ’10. With a deep and brazen crop of young talent on the offensive, the opposition is as good as it’s ever been. The Masters and U.S. Open may not be ideal locations to “seal the deal,” but the game’s final two majors are begging for DJ to take them. Royal Lytham & St. Annes, was home to David Duval’s 2001 triumph. If the weather is comparable to a decade ago, it will be a scorer’s paradise. Johnson is known to make a lot of birdies, and can climb a leaderboard in a heartbeat. His length will also undoubtedly increase his Vegas odds.

The PGA Championship will ultimately be a homecoming for Johnson, as the Tour makes its first ever stop to Kiawah Island, South Carolina. The renowned Ocean Course is expected to throw plenty of wrenches at players without local knowledge. Nobody will know the undulations and contours better than Johnson, who’s partial to the state’s rich golf history. If all goes well, he’ll be able to burn rubber north to Myrtle Beach for a “Teal and Bronze” after party. Let’s just hope Johnson and Mr. Wanamaker buckle up and celebrate responsibly.