Busy DJ in the mix for Saudi triumph
DUSTIN JOHNSON will take a two-shot lead into the final round as he bids to win the Saudi International for the second time in three years.
The world No.1, who was also runner-up in
2020, completed a delayed second round of
64 and then added a 66 to reach 13 under par, with France’s Victor Perez also shooting 66 to lie second on 11 under.
Tyrrell Hatton is a shot further back alongside fellow Englishman Andy Sullivan, American Tony Finau and Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen.
After completing the final four holes of round two in one under par, Johnson began the third round a shot off the lead shared by Ryan Fox and Stephen Gallacher.
Four birdies in the first
10 holes saw him cruise into a two-shot lead and his only blemish came when he found the water on the 13th to run up a double-bogey six.
“Felt like I played really well all day, other than 13, but I didn’t hit that bad a shot,” said Johnson, who birdied the 17th and 18th at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.
“I pushed it a hair right of the flag but just came up well short of where I thought it would and ended up making six.
“But other than that, I drove it well and hit a lot of really good iron shots.
“Didn’t hole a whole lot of putts but finishing nicely definitely helped the day out.”
Sergio Garcia’s 64 was the lowest round of the day and lifted the Spanish Ryder Cup veteran into a seven-strong group on nine under par.
Gallacher’s third round of 72 left him on eight under alongside Justin Rose with Ian Poulter and US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau a shot further back.
Poulter carded two late bogeys and said: “It’s utterly disgusting. I’m fuming. I could smash the living daylights out of everything right now.”