Johnson still up by 1 shot
Dustin Johnson has missed nine birdie chances from 10 feet or closer at Liberty National, which ordinarily might annoy him.
He’s hitting it so well that he still leads The Northern Trust Open.
Johnson birdied three of his last six holes yesterday, finishing with an approach to 8 feet on the 489-yard closing hole, for a 4-under 67 that gave him a 1-shot lead over Jordan Spieth (64) going into the weekend in Jersey City, N.Y.
Johnson has won this FedEx Cup playoffs opener twice at other courses. He was at 12-under 130.
“I’ve got a lot of control with the golf ball and hitting a lot of really nice shots and rolled in a couple putts today which is nice, but still feel like I left quite a few out there,” Johnson said. “I’m in a good position heading into the weekend, and if I can keep swinging the way I am, I think it’s going to be a good weekend.”
The weekend does not include Masters champion Tiger Woods, and neither did yesterday.
Woods, who opened with a 75, withdrew a few hours before his second round was to begin because of what he described as a mild strain to the oblique that Woods says was causing pain and stiffness. It’s the first time he withdrew in the middle of a tournament since February 2017, two months before fusion surgery on his lower back. He said he was hopeful to play next week at Medinah.
Spieth might be finding some form at just the right time. Winless in more than two years, he started the PGA Tour’s postseason at No. 69 in the FedEx Cup with no assurance of staying among the top 70 who advance to next week at Medinah.
He might be one round away from thinking more about winning. Spieth was on the same score (131) that he was going into the weekend last week at the Wyndham Championship, where he followed with a 77 and missed the 54-hole cut. His shots have been tighter, his misses not that severe and he even got some good fortune on his final hole that led to a birdie and a spot in the last group with a familiar face.
Johnson and Spieth have played together at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am each of the last five years.
The opening playoff event had a strong cast of contenders, with Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed 2 shots behind, and Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy among those another shot back. McIlroy was just happy he wasn’t farther behind.
He walked off the par-3 14th with a double bogey because of a 2-shot penalty from the bunker. McIlroy went to remove a small stone next to his ball, but realized when he touched it and it disintegrated that it was a clump of wet sand from a brief storm delay.
The original ruling was a penalty. The PGA Tour reviewed it as McIlroy played the last four holes, spoke to him after the round and determined that was no intent to improve his lie. His 70 became a 68.
“The reason I called someone over is I don’t want anything on my conscience, either,” McIlroy said. “I feel like I play the game with integrity and I’m comfortable saying that I didn’t improve anything. I thought it was a rock. It wasn’t. I moved my hand away, and then I was like, ‘I don’t know if I’ve done anything wrong here.’
“It came down to me and they said, ‘OK, are you comfortable telling us you didn’t improve your lie?’ And for me, I am comfortable saying that.”
Missing the cut meant the end of the season for at least two dozen players who would not be among the top 70, which includes Bubba Watson. Sergio Garcia would appear to be a casualty having started at No. 65 and not making it to the weekend.
Hur leads Scottish
Mi Jung Hur surged into a 2-shot lead in the rain-delayed second round of the Ladies Scottish Open, getting the best of the draw and finishing in the early evening with a 9-under 62.
Players with morning tee times dealt with heavy wind and rain at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, and play was suspended in early afternoon, delaying start times for half of the field and giving them a huge advantage as the sun came out and the wind died. The second round could not be completed because of darkness.
Hur, who started on No. 10, made only one par over her first 12 holes. The South Korean began with two birdies and then holed a 25-yard pitch-and-run from the rough for eagle on the par-5 12th. She made six more birdies, along with two bogeys, over her next nine, and added one more birdie to post a two-day total of 14-under 128.
None of the players who started in the morning were inside the top 20.
Moriya Jutanugarn was 12 under after a 66. Sharing third at 10 under were U.S. Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 (65) and Anne van Dam, who followed her opening-round 63 with a 69.