Johnson, Chappell tied for Tour Championship lead

ATLANTA — Dustin Johnson made one mistake that suddenly put some intrigue into the final day of the PGA Tour season — the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup.

Johnson clipped a tree trying to get out of the rough on the 17th hole and made double bogey, and only a birdie on the final hole at East Lake on Saturday allowed him to shoot a 1-under 69 and regain a share of the lead with Kevin Chappell.

Chappell went from a four-shot deficit on the front nine to a oneshot lead when he made a 10-foot birdie putt on the 17th and Johnson made his double bogey. Chappell, still looking for his first PGA Tour victory, shot a 68. They were at 8-under 202.

Rory McIlroy and Ryan Moore each had a 66 and have different prizes at stake today. They were two shots behind, still very much in the game after wondering most of the steamy afternoon whether Johnson was going to give anyone a chance.

Johnson still has control of the $10-million bonus for winning the FedEx Cup. He only has to win or finish second alone in the Tour Championship to win the cup. McIlroy, five shots behind at the start of the third round, would have to win the Tour Championship and have Johnson finish in a two-way tie for second. After the way Saturday finished, it no longer looks like such a stretch.

Moore went out in 31 until he was slowed by a pair of bogeys, though very much in the mix just two shots out of the lead. The mystery is whether anything he does on today — even if it’s a victory — is enough for Davis Love III to use his last captain’s pick on Moore for the Ryder Cup.