Johnson cruises out in front after early birdie blitz

DUSTIN JOHNSON will take a two-shot lead into today’s final round of the Saudi International as he bids to win the event for the second time in three years.

The world No1, runner-up last year, completed a delayed second round of 64 yesterday morning and then added a 66 to reach 13 under par, with Frenchman Victor Perez also shooting 66 to lie in second place two shots adrift.

Tyrrell Hatton, an impressive winner in Abu Dhabi last month, is a shot further back alongside fellow Englishman Andy Sullivan, American Tony Finau and Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark.

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 Scot Stephen Gallacher.

Four birdies in the first 10 holes saw the Masters champion cruise into a two-shot lead, despite carding a double-bogey six at the 13th.

‘I felt like I played really well all day, other than 13, but I didn’t think I hit that bad a shot,’ said Johnson, who closed out his round with birdies on 17 and 18.

‘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 there.

‘Other than that, I drove it well and hit a lot of really good irons to give myself a lot of chances at birdie. I didn’t hole a whole lot of putts, but finishing nicely definitely helped the day out.’

‘I like this golf course. I think it sets up good for me. I feel like I’m swinging it well.’

Scot Calum Hill shot a 68 and is part of a seven-strong group on nine under par which also contains Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Sergio Garcia, who finished with an impressive round of 64.

Gallacher’s third-round 72 left him on eight under alongside Justin Rose, with Ian Poulter and US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau a shot further back.

Poulter, who was five under after 10 holes before two late bogeys, said: ‘It’s utterly disgusting, that’s what it is. I’ve shot three under par and I’m fuming. It’s unbelievable.

‘I could smash the living daylights out of everything right now.’

‘I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform well and I haven’t done so in the last two weeks.’

One shot further back, Robert MacIntyre is seven shots off the pace, while David Law hit a thirdround 69 to move to one under.

Meanwhile, Jordan Spieth returned to form to grab a share of the lead in the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona last night.

The 27-year-old has not won since his Open Championship success in 2017. The three-time major winner is joined at the top of the leaderboard by fellow Amercian Xander Schauffele on 18 under.

The duo are three shots clear of the rest of the field going into tonight’s final round.