Jackson helps Tigers beat Reds
MEMPHIS — A pulled back muscle after trying lift a jet ski cost Dustin Johnson 11 weeks of golf but in just his second tournament back the big-hitting American had no problems hoisting the St. Jude Classic trophy on Sunday.
Johnson tuned up for the July 14-17 US Open by carding birdies on two of the last three holes for a one-shot victory in Memphis, Tennessee, while Rory McIlroy squandered a chance at winning with an errant tee shot on his nal hole.
"“I tried to just play my game today," Johnson said. "“I'm hitting the ball well. I was just trying to play my game and get as many looks at birdies as I could. And, you know, I did that."
Johnson was injured trying to lift his jet ski off a trailer and, following a return at last week's Memorial tournament where he tied for 19th, he red a four-under 66 in the nal round at TPC Southwind to nish at nine-under 271, one clear of fellow American John Merrick (68).
He claimed his sixth PGA Tour title, moved back to 10th in the world and became just the second player after Tiger Woods to win in each of his rst ve years out of college.
"“It feels really good. Especially having so much time off and coming back," said Johnson. "“Last week helped a lot competing and getting back in the groove of things and then I came out this week and I just played well all week."
Ryan Palmer (66), Chad Campbell (68), Australian Nick O'Hern (69) and US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III (69) shared third at sevenunder 273.It was a rollercoaster day for Northern Ireland's world number two McIlroy, who arrived at the 18th hole tied for the lead only to send his three-wood tee shot into a water hazard and end up with a double-bogey.
"“I was missing that three-wood left all day," said McIlroy, who nished tied for seventh. "“To be honest, I wasn't really that comfortable with it, but I knew it was the shot that I needed to play and I didn't hit the way I wanted to."
Johnson started the nal round one shot back of over- night leaders Merrick, O'Hern and Love III but red a laser approach inside four feet on the opening hole and converted the birdie to join the lead.
Back-to-back birdies on the sixth and seventh holes, the rst via an impressive 17-foot putt and the next coming from yet another close wedge shot, ensured the 27-year-old stayed on top of the leaderboard.
But when he failed to get up and down from the greenside bunker on the ninth hole and posted bogey, his momentum stalled and a handful of challengers leapfrogged him on the board.
Six consecutive pars kept the American in the mix before he made his move, just as those ahead of him faltered.
—Reuters NEW YORK — Austin Jackson led an eighth-inning rally to help the Detroit Tigers eke out a 7-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds and a morale-boosting victory in their three-game inter-league series on Sunday. The Tigers scored four runs in the eighth to erase a 6-3 de - cit, the ghtback highlighted by Jackson's game-tying tworun double.
Detroit (28-32) then added the winning run on losing pitcher Aroldis Chapman's wild pitch, giving them back-to-back wins after Cincinnati had claimed the opener. — Reuters