Golf lost one of its biggest stars for an indefinite period of time Thursday when Dustin Johnson announced — in a vague prepared statement — that he’s stepping away from the game to tend to personal issues.
“I am taking a leave of absence from professional golf, effective immediately,” Johnson said, three days after withdrawing from this week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio for what he described as “personal reasons.’’
“I will use this time to seek professional help for personal challenges I have faced,’’ Johnson continued in the statement. “By committing the time and resources necessary to improve my mental health, physical well-being and emotional foundation, I am confident that I will be better equipped to fulfill my potential and become a consistent champion.
“I respectfully ask my fans, well-wishers and the media for privacy as I embark upon this mission of self-improvement.”
Johnson did not give any timetable for his return, but he did inform the PGA of America he will not be competing in next week’s PGA Championship at Valhalla or the Ryder Cup Sept. 28-28 at Gleneagles in Scotland.
Johnson, who just turned 30 on June 22, is engaged to Paulina Gretzky, the daughter of former NHL great Wayne Gretzky, and the couple has been very high profile since getting together, constantly on the Internet with posed pictures together.
On the day Johnson withdrew from the WGC-Bridgestone, Paulina Gretzky posted a picture on Instagram of Johnson appearing to help her line up a putt with the accompanying caption read: “Best Caddy Ever. @djohnsonpga”
The picture has since been deleted from her Instagram account.
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For some around the game and who know Johnson, the news did not come as a shock.
“It’s one of the least-kept secrets on Tour how much [Johnson] likes to party,’’ one PGA Tour source told The Post.
“He’s always lived fast,’’ another Tour source told The Post. “Maybe he realizes now it’s time to slow down.’’
A former golf teammate of Johnson’s at Coastal Carolina, who requested anonymity, said he has not spoken to Johnson in a few years but painted a picture to The Post of Johnson as “wild’’ in college, recalling Johnson “went at it so hard at parties that no one could keep up with him.’’
Two years ago, when Johnson missed time with what he described as a back injury (announcing it on the eve of the Masters), he didn’t play for three months.
In May 2012, a month after Johnson withdrew from the Masters and with speculation of a possible drug suspension by the PGA Tour running rampant, Johnson’s agent, David Winkle, insisted Johnson had not been serving a drug suspension. The Tour’s policy is to announce violations of the anti-doping policy for the use of performance-enhancing drugs, but suspensions stemming from recreational drug violations are not made public.
This incident led one veteran PGA Tour caddie to speculate Johnson had failed a drug test and might be suspended this time since, in his statement, he defined the tournaments he would miss, including the Ryder Cup.
“Even though [the PGA Tour] doesn’t announce these things, the first time is a slap on the wrist, the second time is three months and the third time is a year,’’ the caddie said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if [Johnson] is gone for a year.’’
In a terse statement released Thursday, the PGA Tour said: “We have nothing to add to Dustin’s statements but wish him well and look forward to his return to the PGA Tour in the future.”
In 2011, Butch Harmon, coaching Johnson at the time, delivered perhaps the strongest public hint about Johnson’s off-the-course life when he described an ultimatum he issued to him.
“We had a come-to-Jesus conversation about getting his personal life in order,” Harmon said at the time. “I was very blunt. I told him he needs to figure out who he is and how committed he is to utilizing his talent and that when he’s playing tournaments he needs to eliminate some of the, shall we say, extra-curricular activities. He’s a fun-loving guy, I realize that. But there’s a time to play and a time to work.”
Johnson has had other off-the-course issues.
— In 2009, he was arrested in South Carolina for DUI.
— In 2001, he was among five teens involved in burglary where somebody stole a gun. According to court documents, Johnson was persuaded to buy bullets for the gun by a friend’s older brother. Later that month the brother, Steve Gillian, was charged with murder after shooting the victim multiple times in the head with that gun.
Because of Johnson’s connection to the crime, he had to pay restitution for the theft and agree to testify at the murder trail. Gillian is serving life without parole.
The Ryder Cup news has a significant trickle-down effect, because Johnson is No. 5 on the points list and was a virtual lock to make the 12-man team captained by Tom Watson. The top nine players on the points list are automatically on the team, and Watson will add three wildcard picks on Sept. 2.
With Johnson out of the picture, whomever is 10th on the list (currently Patrick Reed) would take Johnson’s spot. Phil Mickelson is 11th on the list.
“We will certainly miss Dustin Johnson at Gleneagles, and we wish him the best,” Watson said in a statement. “As one of the longest hitters in the game with an undefeated record of 3-and-0 at Medinah in 2012, he has clearly been an asset for the United States team.
“That said, the United States is a team with an abundance of talent. I am looking forward to teeing it up alongside those players in the PGA Championship at Valhalla, and finding out along with everyone else, which players qualify for the team based on points.”
Johnson, while he has stumbled famously a few times in bids to win his first major championship (see the meltdowns at 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits), has won eight PGA Tour events — more than any current PGA Tour player his age or younger.
Two weeks ago, he finished in a tie for 12th at the British Open, but last week he missed the cut at the Canadian Open.
When reached Thursday, Winkle said neither he nor Johnson would have any further comment.