Johnson a class apart

Golf: Dustin Johnson is playing better than anyone in the world, and Kevin Chappell can’t wait to watch him at the Tour Championship. Even if that means having to beat him. Johnson powered his way down the fairways and occasionally out of the brutal rough at East Lake yesterday for a three-under-par 67, giving him a one-shot lead over Chappell and moving him one round closer to the US$10 million FedEx Cup prize. The US Open champion is on a different level at the moment. Even on a demanding test like East Lake this year – only 10 players remain under par – Johnson is hitting his driver long and straight. His wedge game has gone from a weakness to a strength. A new putter he put in play two weeks ago when he won the BMW Championship is giving him a better feel for alignment. It was his seventh straight round at 68 or better during the FedEx Cup playoffs.