Johnson shoots 63 for lead at HSBC Champions
SHANGHAI — Dustin Johnson got a new putter 15 minutes before he teed off and then made just about everything Friday in the HSBC Champions, closing with four straight birdies for a 9-under 63 and a one-shot lead over Brooks Koepka.
Johnson, who rose to No. 1 in the world with three straight victories in the spring, has been alternating between two putters for the last few months. He brought a third putter to Shanghai, this one with a mallet head, and gave it one day before deciding it wasn’t right for him. So he had a fourth one Friday — a TaylorMade Spider with a different insert — and he couldn’t complain about the results.
Two of his closing birdie putts were in the 15-foot range, and he finished with a five-foot slider on the 18th to reach 13-under 131.
Koepka, who led after a 64 in the first round, opened with two straight birdies and then had 13 consecutive pars until a pair of birdies at the 16th and 17th holes. He missed birdie putts inside eight feet on three of the par 5s, but still managed a 68 to finish one shot behind.
Koepka will be in the final group today with Johnson, which is only fitting. They are close friends, the last two U.S. Open champions, and they played a rare round of golf together a week ago in Florida before coming over to Shanghai.
Today will be eighth time in three years Johnson and Koepka have been in the same group at a tournament. They will be joined in the final group by Justin Rose, making it a threesome of U.S. Open champions. Rose made bogey on the par-5 18th and still shot 68. He was four shots behind, along with Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who had a 70.
Patrick Reed also shot 70 and was five shots behind.
Shanshan fires 65 to top leaderboard in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Feng Shanshan had three birdies before a lengthy rain delay and three more after it, shooting a 6-under 65 on Friday to take a one stroke lead after the second round of the Sime Darby.
Play was halted for close to four hours because of heavy rain at TPC Kuala Lumpur. But Feng, a two-time champion from China, managed to stay steady on both sides of the interruption to lead at 11-under 131.
Madelene Sagstorm (66) is in second place, followed by Cristie Kerr (63) at 133. Kerr’s round was the lowest of the day.
Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is tied for 23rd at 3-under 139 following a 69. Hamilton’s Alena Sharp shot a 74 to sit tied for 57th at 3-over 145.
Overnight leader Lydia Ko (72) couldn’t maintain her form and carded four bogeys in the second.