Spieth, Fowler join log jam at Northern Trust
Two swings cost Dustin Johnson sole possession of the lead. It wasn’t long before Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler caught up to him in the Northern Trust, setting up a weekend of star power in the opening FedEx Cup playoff event in Old Westbury, N.Y.
Johnson, again looking like the No. 1 player who seemed unstoppable in the spring, appeared on the verge of building a big lead at Glen Oaks Club until consecutive tee shots wound up on the wrong holes and forced him to scramble just to escape with bogey.
Fowler made up a five-shot deficit in six holes playing alongside Johnson, making a 15-foot birdie on the last hole for a 66 to join Johnson, Jhonattan Vegas (65) and Speith atop the leaderboard. Spieth put together a stretch Friday afternoon reminiscent of his British Open victory, minus a shot from the driving range, in a 65.
Spieth began the back nine with five birdies, matching his longest streak on the PGA Tour. It ended with a bogey on the par-3 15th when his tee shot rolled back into the water, but then he responded with a 40-foot birdie putt up the slope on the 16th.
“Putter has been streaky for me this summer, which is better than just kind of not-sogreat, which it was before that,” he said. “So I’ve been able to mentally use one or two good putts to make me feel like I’m putting awesome.
“I got on the good side of the streak on the back nine today.”
Spieth made pars from the bunkers on the last two holes to join the others at 6-under-par 134.
Matt Kuchar (64) and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson (68) were one shot out of the lead. Jon Rahm, who played with Johnson and Fowler, had a 68 and was two shots behind along with Justin Rose (68) and Russell Henley (72).
Phil Mickelson limited his mistakes and made four birdies in a round of 68, which left him six shots behind. Rory McIlroy chipped in for birdie on the tough par-3 second and shot 68. He was seven shots behind.
LPGA Tour: In Gee Chun took the lead in the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in Ottawa, and Canadian star Brooke Henderson did just enough to make the weekend.
Chun closed with a birdie on the par-5 ninth for her second straight 4-under 67, giving the South Korean player a two-stroke lead over Americans Mo Martin, Brittany Lincicome and Marina Alex. Henderson, the 19-year-old fan favorite from nearby Smiths Falls, followed a 74 with a 69 to make the cut at 1 over.
European Tour: Defending champion Thomas Pieters missed the cut at the Made in Denmark tournament, as Steve Webster shot a 1-under 70 to take a one-shot lead at 8-under overall after two rounds in Farso.