Johnson overpowers Spieth for playoff win
In a FedEx Cup playoff opener that felt like a heavyweight bout, Dustin Johnson delivered back-toback blows to beat Jordan Spieth at the Northern Trust Open. One was a putt from 18 feet. The other was a drive that traveled 341 yards.
Down to his last shot yesterday, Johnson watched his 18-foot par putt stay on the high side of the hole and thought for sure it would miss. He took two steps of hope to the right, and then pumped his fist in a rare show of emotion when it swirled around and dropped in the back side of the cup for a 4-under-par 66 to force a playoff.
Given new life, Johnson relied on his strength and powered a drive over the lake to the far edge of the fairway. It was the longest drive all week on the 18th hole, and it left him a 60-degree wedge to 4 feet for birdie and a victory he badly needed.
The No. 1 player in the golf finally looked the part again.
“It was fun to be in the hunt again and know that my game is going to hold up under pressure,” Johnson said.
Spieth lost for the first time in six tries when leading by 2 shots or more, and there wasn’t much he could do except take back that tee shot into the water at the par3 sixth hole after building a 5-shot lead. Johnson played bogey-free for the final 29 holes.
“I didn’t lose the tournament,” Spieth said after closing with a 69. “He won it.”
It was great theater between Johnson and Spieth, good friends who are No.1 and No.2 in the world.
“I thought that was a fun show,” Spieth said. “I was hoping it wasn’t going to be that much fun.”
Johnson made up a 5-shot deficit in five holes, and they battled along the back nine with big shots and big moments.
They finished at 13-under 267. Jon Rahm (68) ran off three straight birdies early on the back and briefly was 1 shot behind, though he had stronger holes ahead of him and fell back. Jhonattan Vegas (65) was within 2 shots after playing the scoring holes. They tied for third, 4 shots behind.
The top 100 in the new FedEx Cup standings advanced to TPC Boston in Norton for next week’s Dell Technologies Championship.
Kelly gets first victory
Jerry Kelly won the Boeing Classic for his first Champions Tour title, closing with a 6-under 66 for a 1-stroke ahead of Jerry Smith in Snoqualmie, Wash.
Kelly, who finished with a tournament-record 19-under 197, tied Smith for the lead with a birdie at the par-4 16th and moved ahead with a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th. After Smith left an 8-foot birdie try short at the par5 18th, Kelly pulled his 3A-foot birdie attempt to the left and tapped in for the winning par . . . .
Julian Suri (19-under) carded a final-round 64 to win the Made in Denmark event in Farso and claim his first European Tour title in just his seventh appearance. David Horsey was second.
Park prevails up north
Sung Hyun Park added the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open title to her U.S. Women’s Open crown with a comeback victory at Ottawa Hunt Club in Ontario.
Park birdied the final hole for a 7-under 64 and a 2-stroke victory ahead of fellow South Korean player Mirim Lee.
Michelle Wie withdrew before the round and went to the hospital for surgery to remove her appendix. Wie was tied for 23rd, 6 strokes back, entering the final round.