Pressure putt gives Johnson the win

– Dustin Johnson (left) is back, and he offered a reminder of why he is world No 1 when he beat Jordan Spieth in a play-off to win the Northern Trust in Old Westbury, New York on Sunday.

Johnson sank a three-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to edge out Spieth after a compelling head-to-head final-round duel at the Glen Oaks Club.

Johnson forced the play-off by sinking a sharply-breaking downhill 17-foot par putt at the final regulation hole, his ball catching the right edge of the cup and toppling in at the par-four 18th.

He overcame a five-stroke deficit over the final 13 holes for his first win since he injured his back falling down stairs on the eve of the US Masters in April.

Johnson has 16 career victories, but this was his first in a play-off.

But he seemed destined for second place after leaving himself with a difficult par putt at the 72nd hole.

With Spieth sitting within tapin range for a certain par, Johnson had to hole the putt, and he read the break and the speed to near perfection.

“I felt I played really good today,” Johnson said.

“The front nine I couldn’t hole a putt, burning the edges. Finally rolled in a couple of putts on nine and 10.”

Spieth and Johnson finished four shots clear of Jon Rahm and Jhonattan Vegas. –