‘Normal guy’ Zach Johnson makes Safeway Open debut

Zach Johnson did not come to Napa to launch booming home runs. He’s a singles hitter, in baseball parlance, patiently knocking his golf ball down the fairway.

And then, with a wedge and putter in his hands? Watch out.

Johnson will make his inaugural appearance in the Safeway Open this week at Silverado Resort in Napa. His debut in the tournament offers a relevant reminder: It’s not always about power off the tee, even in this big-hitting era.

Johnson, 41, has 12 wins and more than $42 million in earnings in his PGA Tour career. Those are impressive, practically gaudy numbers for a golfer who once described himself as a normal guy from Iowa.