Johnson keeps mojo going
TOP seed Dustin Johnson continued his “good mojo” to earn a tie for the first-round lead with Kevin Chappell and Hideki Matsuyama at the Tour Championship in Atlanta yesterday.
The power-hitting US Open champion continued to make a fickle game look easy, compiling five birdies in a seemingly-effortless four-under-par 66 in ideal conditions at East Lake.
“I felt like I had good mojo going all day and swung it very nicely,” Johnson said. “I hit a lot of great shots with the irons and drove it nicely. That puts together a good score.”
Johnson, fellow American Chappell and Japan’s Matsuyama headed Australian world No 1 Jason Day, South Korean Kim Si-woo and American Kevin Kisner by one stroke in the elite 30-man field.
The season-ending Tour Championship is the only event on tour that hands out two trophies – one to the tournament winner and another to the winner of the season-long FedEx Cup points race.
The FedEx Cup champion will receive $10 million and Johnson, a three-time winner this season, is in pole position.
He will win the FedEx Cup if he also wins the tournament, as would the next four seeds – Patrick Reed, Day, Adam Scott and Paul Casey.
Casey made a 30-foot eagle putt at the par-five 18th for twounder 68, while Scott finished poorly with two late bogeys for a 69 and Reed struggled to a 73.
Johnson hit a couple of wayward drives, but was otherwise a model of consistency.
His sole bogey came at the par-four 13th, his drive there ending up behind a pine cone from where he could advance the ball only 30 yards.
Four holes later, Johnson’s drive almost struck Sky Sports on-course reporter Wayne Riley, a former professional who took his on-course role a little too literally by wandering down the fairway instead of staying in the rough.
Johnson’s drive landed within a couple of paces of a surprised Riley, who came in for some light-hearted ribbing by his fellow commentators.
Joint leader Matsuyama, meanwhile, made a nice start on the more difficult front nine and picked up two more shots on the inward half.
“I was a little bit lucky on that front nine but got into a good rhythm,” said the world No 18.
“I putted well today and that’s what made the difference.”
Rory McIlroy’s roller- coaster opening round at the Tour Championship was not ideal for stroke play but just about perfect for the match play format of next week’s Ryder Cup.
Northern Irishman McIlroy is the only member of the European Ryder Cup team in the 30-man field at East Lake, where eight players from the United States line-up are in action before next week’s showdown in Chaska, Minnesota.
The former world No 1 had consecutive double- bogeys midway through his round, preceded by three straight early birdies and followed by an even better late run of four successive birdies.
“When I get it going, I can really run with it and then when it goes the other way I struggle to get out of it a little bit but that’s the nature of the way my game is right now, and how it has been for most of the year,” McIlroy told reporters after carding a two-under 68 that left him two strokes off the lead.
“I’m seeing more good, which is great, and holing some putts, making birdies ... as long as I continue to do that, I should be okay,” McIlroy added.
McIlroy, who blew away the field with a brilliant, trademark closing 65 to win the Deutsche Bank Championship three weeks ago, observed that his ability to make plenty of birdies should stand him in good stead for next week.
“This sort of golf next week would actually be okay at the Ryder Cup,” said the four-time Major champion. “Make seven birdies and you’re going to do okay.”
On the American Ryder Cup front, an intriguing sub plot at this week’s Tour Championship will be the battle to earn the final wild card spot on the US team.
Eleven players at East Lake are trying to impress captain Davis Love, who will select his 12th man after Sunday’s final round.
Chappell, the joint leader on 66, and Kisner (67) made promising starts, but twice Masters champion Bubba Watson has his work cut out after a mediocre 72.
World No 7 Watson is the highest-ranked player not already on the US team, and he arrived at East Lake knowing he needed a strong showing after being overlooked last week when Love made his first three wild card picks.
Despite his slow start, Watson remained bullish.
“I thought I played great,” the American left-hander said. “My ball-striking was where I wanted. Around this course, it takes one good round. It’s a long marathon.” – Reuters