Johnson chirpy after close brush with golf history
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Dustin Johnson's round of 60 at the Northern Trust is the lowest in his career.
Follow topic:
BOSTON • Dustin Johnson looked poised to make golf history after a blistering start at the Northern Trust on Friday but had to settle for a second-round 11-under 60 and a two-stroke lead over Scottie Scheffler, who earlier became the newest member of golf's 59 club.
Johnson was 11 under through 11 holes and threatened to card the lowest single-round score in PGA Tour history. But he could only manage pars over his final seven holes to sit two strokes clear of Scheffler and Cameron Davis heading into the weekend of the FedExCup play-offs opener.
The American had chances for 59 or better on his final two holes but his seven-foot birdie putt on 17 rimmed out of the cup and his 23-foot birdie attempt on 18 passed inches left of the hole before he tapped in for 60, the 36-year-old's career low.
Jim Furyk's 58 in the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship remains the lowest single round in Tour history.
Johnson said he was not let down by his near-miss, leaving him with a 15-under 127 total amid scorching conditions in Norton, Massachusetts.
"Anytime you shoot a number like that, you're never going to be disappointed," he said. "I feel like my game is in good form."
PGA Tour rookie Scheffler's sizzling shot-making led to a new TPC Boston course record after his 59, just the 12th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history. The 24-year-old, who played in the final pairing of the PGA Championship less than two weeks ago, became the second-youngest player to shoot a 59 on the Tour after Justin Thomas, who was 23, in 2017.
"Had some key up-and-downs at the beginning of the round that kind of got me rolling, freed me up a little bit," said the world No. 45, who needed just 23 putts in his round. "Then the momentum just kind of kept going."
Fifteen-time Major winner Tiger Woods finished his second round at even par and made the cut on the three-under cutline.
This week's tournament, open to the top 125 golfers in the season-long points standings, is the first of three play-off events that culminate in the Sept 4-7 Tour Championship in Atlanta and the US$15 million (S$20.7 million) prize to the FedExCup champion.
Only the top 70 in the standings after this week go on to the BMW Championship. From there, the top 30 move on to Atlanta.
REUTERS
