FedExCup win realisation of a career goal

GOLF

TORONTO: Dustin Johnson secured a threeshot victory at the Tour Championship to claim his first FedExCup title and a $US15 million ($NZ22 million) payday yesterday as he capped a PGA Tour season that saw him return to the top of the world rankings.

The final event of the 201920 PGA Tour campaign looked poised for a dramafree finish, with Johnson starting the day having a fivestroke cushion at East Lake Golf Club.

But the 36yearold American needed almost all of it, carding a final round 2under 68 to fend off 2017 FedExCup champion Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele, who both closed on 4under 66.

Johnson, who began the week at 10under as a result of the Tour Championship’s FedExCup scoring system, finished with a winning total of 21under 269 to earn his 23rd career title and third this season, all coming after the Covid19 restart.

Having narrowly missed out on the FedExCup title four years ago when Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy pipped Kevin Chappell and Ryan Moore in a threeman playoff at the Tour Championship, Johnson, who rarely speaks about his goals, did not hide the fact that winning it was a career objective.

Certainly Johnson played like a man on a mission, finishing first, second and first in the three playoff events.

‘‘I wanted to be a FedExCup champion. It was something in my career I would like to be and today I got the FedExCup,’’ he said.

‘‘I’m very proud of the way I played. I played really good, especially the last four tournaments.’’

The only thing Johnson did not win this season was a major title, although he came close by finishing runnerup at last month’s PGA Championship.

But because of a schedule shakeup created by the Covid19 outbreak, there are still two golf majors to be contested before the end of 2020: the Masters in November and the US Open on September 1720 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, where Johnson is sure to be the redhot favourite.

‘‘I am probably playing the best I have ever played,’’ he said.

‘‘I really feel like everything is dialed in.’’ — Reuters

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES A moment of reflection . . . Dustin Johnson, of the United States, celebrates with the FedExCup trophy after winning in the final round of the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, yesterday.