Johnson rallies for 2nd straight
Dustin Johnson returned from celebrating his U.S. Open victory by taking down the world’s No. 1 player to win another World Golf Championship.
Johnson didn’t miss a beat from Oakmont to Firestone, powering and putting his way to a 4-under 66 yesterday to win the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, for his second straight victory, making him the player to beat heading into the British Open in two weeks.
“This golf course is playing so tough, it’s not like I need to go out and shoot 63,” Johnson said. “You just try to hit it in the fairway and get to get it on the green and try to make some putts. I knew if I shot 4- or 5-under I’d have a chance.”
Jason Day, poised for his first victory in his adopted home state of Ohio, helped make it easy for Johnson.
Day had a 1-shot lead when he missed a 4-foot par putt on the 15th hole, and then collapsed with a series of bad shots and bad choices. He tried to play it safe off the tee on the 655-yard 16th hole and hooked a 3-wood into the trees. He blasted through the branches and through the fairway, getting a good break when a young fan picked up his ball, allowing Day to drop it from behind a tree.
Then, he tried to squeeze a shot from 200 yards around the pond. It came up short, leading to double bogey. Day closed with a bogey and shot 72 to tie for third.
Scott Piercy was a runner-up to Johnson for the second straight time.
Johnson, who finished at 6-under 274, moved to a career-best No. 2 in the world by a fraction over Jordan Spieth.
Spieth closed with a 67 and tied for third.
Henderson repeats
Defending champion Brooke Henderson survived some tense moments on the back nine on the way to a 4-stroke victory at the LPGA Cambia Portland Classic.
The second-ranked Henderson shot a 14-under 274 after a final round 71 at Columbia Edgewater Country Club, pulling away from American Stacy Lewis, who was 10-under after a 69. . . .
Greg Chalmers won the Barracuda Championship in Reno, Nev., for his first PGA Tour title, eagling the final hole for a sixpoint victory in the modified Stableford scoring event.
The 42-year-old Australian left-hander broke through in his 386th start after entering the week as the active player with the most events without a victory.
Gary Woodland finished second.
McIlroy outgunned
Thongchai Jaidee produced an impressive display of front-running to win the French Open in Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines by 4 strokes, as Rory McIlroy failed to deliver a final-round surge.