USA TODAY International Edition
Masters: Johnson chases streak buster
AUGUSTA, Ga. — At its beginning, the third round of the 2020 Masters held such tantalizing promise. For the first time ever, the top three players in the world were tied for the lead. Right behind them, so many more were lurking, including defending champ Tiger Woods and fan favorite Phil Mickelson ( if there were fans) and sentimental pick Rory McIlroy.
This wasn’t a golf tournament; this was the starting line of the Daytona 500. Everyone all bunched together, promising a massive dash to the finish.
Then world- ranked No. 1 Dustin Johnson teed off, and within an hour he had killed all the suspense. He eagled the par- 5 second hole, then birdied No. 3 and No. 4, and all of a sudden his 9- under par score through 36 holes stood at 13under through 40. He added three more birdies to reach 16under for 54 holes, four strokes better than a trio giving immediate chase: Sungjae Im, Abraham Ancer and Cameron Smith.
Miracles have occurred before in the final round of the Masters. McIlroy knows all about that after his epic collapse at the 2011 Masters, shooting 80 in the final round to drop from first to 15th.
Johnson, 36, has been in this position before, holding the third- round lead at a major four times before this weekend. All four times, he has failed to close the deal.
“If I can play like I did today, I think it will break that streak. But there are a lot of really good players right around me,” Johnson said Saturday, even if they really aren’t right around him.
“As we all know, someone can get a good round going. There’s definitely a long way to go.”