THE PLAYOFFS
FIRST EVENT
THE NORTHERN TRUST Glen Oaks Club, Old Westbury, NY Winner:
Dustin Johnson Jordan Spieth took control of the tournament late on Friday and held a three-shot lead heading into the final round. He increased his advantage to five shots after five holes on Sunday with two birdies before he dumped his tee shot on the
par-3 sixth into the water and made double bogey. Johnson, playing alongside Spieth, pulled even with back-to-back birdies at 9 and 10, and the two traded big moments there on in. Johnson made a crucial 18-footer for par on the 72nd hole to force a playoff after Spieth two-putted from 75 feet. Then Johnson, who didn’t make a bogey on the final day, unleashed a 341-yard drive on the first playoff hole at the
18th — the longest drive of the week on the hole — and knocked a 60-degree wedge to within
3 feet for a winning birdie. It was the world No. 1’s fourth victory of the season and the 16th of his career.
SECOND EVENT
DELL TECHNOLOGIES CHAMPIONSHIP
TPC Boston, Norton, Mass. Winner:
Justin Thomas Fireworks started early on Labor Day as Spieth electrified the large galleries by starting the final round birdie-eagle-birdiebirdie to grab the lead. Then Marc Leishman took a twostroke lead at the turn after making six birdies and shooting
30 on the front nine. Thomas, who shared the 54-hole lead with Leishman, made eagle-2 on the fourth to stay close. Leishman fell back when he made three consecutive bogeys to start the back nine, and he, Spieth and Thomas were tied with seven holes to play. While Spieth and Leishman couldn’t limit their mistakes, Thomas made birdie on the 15th from
4 feet and made a great upand-down on the 16th to preserve his lead. He eventually won by three shots with his closing 5-under-par 66. The win was Thomas’ fifth of the season, which included his first victory in a major in the PGA Championship. Spieth finished second for the second consecutive Playoff event and maintained his lead in the FedExCup Playoffs standings.
THIRD EVENT
BMW CHAMPIONSHIP Conway Farms Golf Club, Lake Forest, Ill. Winner:
Leishman
With an opening-round 62, Leishman assumed command of the tournament. He backed up his first 18 holes with a 64, then shot 68 in the third round to up his advantage to five shots heading into the final round. He made things interesting with a sluggish start and felt the heat when Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose made big runs. But after squandering a two-shot lead with nine to play in the Dell Technologies Championship, Leishman was determined to hold on this time. On two occasions, Rose got within two shots on the back nine, but Leishman responded with birdies on the 15th and 16th holes and capped off his tour de force with a birdie on the last hole to win by five shots. The victory, Leishman’s second of the season and third career PGA Tour title, moved him into fourth place in the FedExCup standings.
Steve DiMeglio