SMITH STILL IN MASTERS HUNT

World No. 1 leads but Aussie Smith still a chance

TOP- ranked Dustin Johnson seized command of the Masters on Saturday, matching the 54- hole record at Augusta National to grab a fourstroke lead in his quest for a second major title.

But Australian Cameron Smith is right in the chase in a tie for second place.

Pulling away from an elite field at Augusta National, 36year- old American Johnson, who grew up only an hour’s drive from the course, fired a seven- under- par 65 to stand on 16- under- par 200 after three rounds.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in everything I’m doing,” Johnson said.

“Tomorrow I’m going to have to go out and do the same kind of thing. I’ve got a lot of great players around me. I’m going to have to play a really good round if I want to put on that green jacket.”

Johnson went a career major best four- under in the first four holes, making a tapin eagle at the par- five second, curling in a six- footer for birdie at the third and sinking a long birdie putt at the fourth.

He added tap- in birdies at the par- four seventh, par- five 13th and par- five 15th to equal the 54- hole mark set in 2015 by Jordan Speith.

“It’s really tough to read these greens,” Johnson said. “You get a lot of putts that break a lot. We’re reading them really well. Definitely pleased with the putting through three rounds.”

Johnson is the first player to shoot 65 or better twice in the same Masters after a firstround 65. The 2016 US Open champion is also trying to become the first top- ranked golfer to win the Masters since Tiger Woods in 2002.

Australia’s Cameron Smith surged into contention after a stunning three- hole blitz on the back nine in the second round at Augusta.

Smith was in a three- way tie for the lead on 204 with Im Sung- jae, a 22- year- old South Korean who could be the first debut Masters winner since 1979, and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, another Augusta newcomer.

The Australian fired a fourunder 68, including an eagle on the 15th hole and birdies on 16 and 17 to reach nine- under par 135 at the halfway mark.

“It was a very up and down round, a little bit scrappy,” Smith said. “But I hung there and at the end, it was brilliant.”

Im would be only the second Asian man to win a major after South Korean Yang Yong- eun at the 2009 PGA Championship.