ST. JUDE LEADER JOHNSON AIMS FOR A RETURN TO TOP RANK
Dustin Johnson wants to sharpen his game for the U.S. Open. Moving back to No. 1 in the world would just be a nice bonus because the only way he can do that before Shinnecock Hills is by winning the St. Jude Classic.
Johnson knows what he wants: “I just want to win.”
Johnson shot 7-under 63 for his lowest round this year and grabbed a one-stroke lead Friday after 36 holes in Memphis. He had four of his seven birdies and an eagle on his back nine for a 29 and finished with a 10-under 130 total.
Ryan Blaum and Andrew Putnam each shot 64 and were tied for second, and C.T. Pan (65) and Wesley Bryan (66) followed at 8 under.
Brandt Snedeker shot his best round this year with a 62 that was one stroke off the course record. He was at 7 under.
Irishman Seamus Power, who came in with a onestroke lead, shot a 69 to reach 6 under. Defending U.S. Open champ Brooks Koepka (69) was at 5 under, and Phil Mickelson (70) was at 4 under. Two-time defending champ Daniel Berger (71141) missed the cut.
Johnson spent 64 weeks atop the world ranking until Justin Thomas made the cut at the Players Championship in May and grabbed the top spot to himself. Johnson said the course and not playing only four times in April and May combined prompted his decision to play here before going to Shinnecock Hills.
“Just wanted to play, stay sharp,” Johnson said. “I like this golf course, and I feel like I play it well and wanted to be on top of my game going into next week, too.”
A winner here in 2012, Johnson is back here looking for 18th career title while tuning up for the U.S. Open he won in 2016. He hit everything well from a 3-wood that went 316 yards off the tee to his irons to putter.
“I know if I can drive it in the fairway that I’m going to give myself a good look for birdie,” he said. “I felt I did that pretty much all day today.”
Snedeker turned in a bogey-free round with eight birdies needing only 22 putts.
“It obviously went pretty well,” said Snedeker. “It’s one of those days you like to have. You don’t have them very often out here where the hole looks like it’s the size of a beach ball and (you) can’t miss a putt.”
LPGA Tour: Two-time champion Anna Nordqvist shot a 5-under 66 for a share of the first-round lead with Laura Diaz and Celine Herbin in the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Galloway Township, N.J.
Nordqvist won the 54-hole event in 2015 and 2016 on Stockton Seaview’s Bay Course and finished second last year. Teeing off Friday in the afternoon when the wind was stronger, the 30-year-old Swede closed her bogey-free round with a birdie on the par-5 ninth.
Champions: Bernhard Langer returned for a three-week break to shoot an 8-under 64 and take the first-round lead in the Principal Charity Classic. Langer closed the bogey-free round with a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa.
Glen Day and Woody Austin were a stroke back, and defending champion Brandt Jobe was in a group at 66.