Johnson shows no sign of layoff
World No. 1 hits 16 greens, shoots 70; Molinari (66) leads.
Six weeks away from competition didn’t keep Dustin Johnson from extending one streak Thursday, with hopes of adding to another.
Johnson showed more game than rust at the Wells Fargo Championship, where he missed only two greens — and plenty of putts — for a 2-under 70 that left him four shots behind leader Francesco Molinari at blustery Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington, N.C.
It was Johnson’s 13th consecutive round at par or better. Johnson wasn’t as flawless as he looked while winning three straight tournaments, though he had few complaints under the circumstances. It was his first time playing since he slipped down stairs at his rental house in Augusta, hurting his back and knocking him out of the Masters.
“Since I hadn’t played in so long, I’m happy with the way I played,” Johnson said. “I didn’t score that great, didn’t really hole that many putts, but other than that, I played really well. I think I hit 16 greens and I hit the ball great.”
No one was sure what to expect at Eagle Point, where the Wells Fargo Championship moved this year because its traditional venue, Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, is hosting the PGA Championship in August.
On greens that were slightly softer and as pure as can be, Molinari ran off five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on the front nine and closed out his round with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th.
That gave him a one-shot lead over Alex Noren of Sweden, J.B. Holmes, Grayson Murray and Brian Campbell.
Holmes birdied his last three holes for a 67. He played with Phil Mickelson, who shot 71 in his first time out since the Masters.
Just over half the 156-man field was at par or better.
Johnson started well enough to act as though nothing has happened since he last played March 26 at the Dell Technologies Match Play, his third straight victory, which strengthened his hold at No. 1 in the world.
He was rarely in trouble, made only one putt longer than 10 feet and still shot 70. It was a reasonable start in resuming his quest for a fourth straight PGA Tour victory, which would be the longest streak since Tiger Woods won five in a row at the end of the 2007 season and the start of 2008.
“I maybe played a little more conservatively,” Johnson said. “But anything under par was going to be a good score.” LPGA Tour: Lydia Ko beat home favorite Ana Menendez, and the Jutanugarn sisters set up a second-round showdown in the Lorena Ochoa Match Play.
The top-ranked Ko edged Menendez 3 and 2 on Thursday at Club de Golf Mexico in the event that switched from stroke to match play and from November to April.
Third-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn will face older sister Moriya in the second round. Ariya beat Amy Anderson 5 and 4, and Moriya topped Alena Sharp 2 and 1.
“Is a little too early this week to see my sister, but ... tomorrow will be fun,” Moriya said.
Ko will face Jennifer Song, a 3-and-2 winner over Mi Hyang Li.