Travelers Championship
Johnson’s Victory Keeps Tour Streak Alive
Dustin Johnson fired a three-underpar 67 to claim a one-shot victory at the Travelers Championship and keep his tournament win-streak alive. The former world number one bagged his first tournament win since February 2019 after a closing three-under-par 67 at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut.
Johnson, who started the day two shots adrift of third round leader Brendon Todd after a brilliant 61 on Saturday, held his nerve after a late wobble following a weather delay.
The victory means Johnson has now won at least one tournament in each of the 13 seasons he has been on the PGA Tour, a feat matched only by an elite group of players that includes Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino and Tiger Woods.
"Obviously it's a great streak and any time you're mentioned with those names it's good," said Johnson, who finished on 19 under.
"I'm proud of myself for continuing the streak, and I want to keep it going, but it was a long time between wins - hopefully it won't be as long until the next one.
Although the tournament was played without spectators because of the coronavirus, Johnson admitted he had been nervous after a weather delay with three holes remaining.
"Even though there's no fans, you still feel the pressure," Johnson said. "The weather delay didn't help very much because I had time to start thinking...but I figured out a way to get it done."
The 36-year-old laid the foundations for victory with a run of three straight birdies either side of the turn to take sole possession of the lead as partner Todd struggled to make any birdies over the front nine.
After a bogey on the seventh which saw him relinquish a share of the lead, Johnson bounced back with a curling 27foot birdie putt on the eighth to get back to 18 under.
Taking the lead on the 9th after rolling in the simplest of birdie putts from five feet, he then pressed home his advantage on the 10th, stroking in another long birdie putt to go two shots clear.
The former world number one then came unstuck twice, on the par-five 13th, when his drive drifted out of bounds down the left side, and when he was forced to scramble again on the par-four 15th with another wayward drive down the left which narrowly avoided the pond guarding the green.
Rolling up his trousers and wading into the water, Johnson chipped from the rough, missed the green, but was still able to get up-and-down for par.
A one-hour weather interruption saw Johnson stutter with a bogey on the 16th when play resumed, trimming his twostroke lead by one. Safe pars on 17th and 18th were enough to seal the win.