Johnson halfway to No. 1
But faces long day at Genesis Open
Dustin Johnson is closing in on that elusive victory at Riviera Country Club, and a shot to reach No. 1 in the world.
And he still has a long way to go.
Johnson made two tough pars around the turn and poured it on late with three birdies over his final four holes for another 5-under 66 and a one-shot lead in the Genesis Open in Pacific Palisades, Calif. It was a good place to be Saturday, except he was only halfway home at rainy Riviera.
The tournament lost an hour to fog Thursday, then seven hours when heavy rain and wind arrived in Southern California Friday, and two more hours Saturday morning to get the course cleaned up for play.
Johnson was at 10-under 132 and had a one-shot lead over Pat Perez, who birdied his final two holes for a 66, and Cameron Tringale, whose wedge from 82 yards flew straight into the cup on No. 18 for a birdie and a 64.
Jhonattan Vegas finished his second round well before lunch with four pars for a 68. He was in the group at 7-under 135 along with Patrick Rodgers (67) and PGA Tour rookie J.T. Poston (69).
Other tournaments
Chubb Classic: Miguel Angel Jimenez birdied two of the final four holes to take a onestroke lead over Fred Couples and Kevin Sutherland into the final round. Jimenez birdied the par-4 15th and par-5 17th in a bogey-free 5-under 67 that got him to 12-under 132 in the PGA Tour Champions event at The TwinEagles Club. Couples shot a 65 in perfect conditions on the Talon Course. He bogeyed the par-4 18th after making birdies on Nos. 14, 15 and 17. The Hall of Famer won the 2010 event at The Quarry.
World Super 6: Australia’s Brett Rumford shot a 4-under 68 to lead by five strokes and earn a bye in the first round of match play. Rumford had a 17-under 199 at Lake Karrinyup in the event sanctioned by the European, Australasian and Asian tours. Louis Oosthuizen (67) was tied for second with Canadian Austin Connelly (66) and Australians Jason Scrivener (66), Adam Blyth (68), Lucas Herbert (69) and Steven Jeffress (66). The field was cut to 24 and the top eight received first-round byes today in the six-hole match play.
Women’s Australian Open: Lizette Salas shot a 2-under 71 to take a two-stroke lead into the final round at Royal Adelaide. Salas birdied Nos. 14, 15 and 17 to reach 10under 209. The two-time U.S. Solheim Cup player won the 2014 Kingsmill Championship for her lone LPGA Tour victory. South Korean-born Australian Su Oh had the round of the day, a 68, and was tied for second with fellow Australian Sarah Jane Smith (74) and Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum (73).