Johnson cruises five clear as Rory and Tiger make up the numbers
Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his shot on the fourth tee during the third round of The Northern Trust at TPC Boston on August 22, 2020 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Dustin Johnson produced the birdie-eagle finish he wishes he’d made on Friday to take a five-stroke lead into the final round of the Northern Trust at TPC Boston.
The world No 4, who finished with seven pars to shoot 60 in the second round, made a 19 footer at the 17th before curling home a 40 footer for eagle at the last for a seven-under 64.
At 22-under par, he’s five shots clear of Harris English, wo shot 66, and Scottie Scheffler, who followed his second-round 59 with a 67.
South African Louis Oosthuizen is a distant seven shots off the pace on 15-under after a 68.
“Obviously, I'm in a great position and like where I'm at, but I'm still going to have to go out and shoot a good score,” Johnson said. “You can go low out here and guys are going low every day, especially with the conditions we have: Perfect greens, golf course is in great shape and not a lot of wind. Obviously guys are going to shoot pretty low. So I still need to go out and play a good round.”
Reserve the table for lunch tomorrow, too!
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) August 22, 2020
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy struggled to a combined 5 over Saturday at TPC Boston, and they'll play together again Sunday. https://t.co/2MysOscZZI pic.twitter.com/H7U4eILhpi
It was a very different day for Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who share 19 major wins but enjoyed little joy as they played together in the third round.
They were first off at 8:30 am but Woods lost 3.59 strokes in the green in a 73 that leaves him 67th on one-under while McIlroy had two triple bogeys in an outward 40 en route to a 74 featuring 32 putts.
The pair managed a few jokes on the way round before sitting down at picnic tables for a lunch of hamburgers and Cokes.
2020 THE NORTHERN TRUST
(The first of three events in the FedExCup Playoffs)
Norton, Massachusetts August 20-23, 2020 FedExCup Points: 1,500 (winner) TPC Boston Par/Yards: 71/7,308 Purse: $9,500,000
Third-Round Notes – Saturday, August 22, 2020
Weather: Partly cloudy with a high of 88. SW wind 5-10 mph. Due to inclement weather, round three was suspended from 3:45 p.m. until 4:35 p.m.
Things To Know
Dustin Johnson takes 54-hole lead/co-lead for the 22nd time on TOUR; has converted to a victory 11 times (most recent: 2019 World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship)
Johnson’s 191 sets the course record at TPC Boston and marks the tournament record for opening 54 holes
Tyrrell Hatton (T9/-12) made 10 birdies en route to an 8-under 63, marks career-most birdies in one round on the PGA
TOUR (previously eight birdies, most recent: 2020 RBC Heritage/R3)
Two-time FedExCup champions Tiger Woods (67/-1) and Rory McIlroy (68/E) will be paired together for the final round
Third-Round Lead Notes
Dustin Johnson (1st/67-60 -64—191)
Marks 22nd time to hold 54-hole lead/co-lead and has converted to a victory 11 times (most recent: 2019 WGC- Mexico Championship)
54-hole events: 2011 THE NORTHERN TRUST, 2013 Sentry Tournament of Champions, 2009 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Holds a 73%-win percentage when ahead by three or more strokes headed into the final round of a PGA TOUR event (eight of 11)
Set the course record at TPC Boston for 54-hole score of 191 and broke the previous tournament record (his own) for best 54-hole score (previously: 194/2011/Plainfield Country Club)
His 5-stroke lead marks the largest 54-hole lead on TOUR this season (previously: four strokes, Jon Rahm/the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide)
Ties the lowest first 54-hole score on TOUR this season (Kevin Na/Shriners Hospitals for Children Open)
His 22-under-par marks his best score to par through opening three rounds on TOUR (most recent: 19-under-par at THE 2011 NORTHERN TRUST/Plainfield Country Club)
Two-time champion at THE NORTHERN TRUST, with victories at the weather-shortened three-round event in 2011 event at Plainfield Country Club and in a playoff against Jordan Spieth in 2017 at Glenn Oaks Club
One of seven players to win THE NORTHERN TRUST two or more times. With a third win, would join Vijay Singh (four) with three or more victories at this event
Has finished in the top 30 in the standings each of the last 11 seasons
Won the Travelers Championship earlier this year to extend his streak to 13 seasons with at least one victory
Miscellaneous Player Notes
Scottie Scheffler (T2/-17) followed a 12-under 59 in round two with a 4-under 67 in his FedExCup Playoffs debut; entered the week at No. 24 in the FedExCup standings and the highest-ranked rookie in the standings
After notching bogey-free rounds through the first 36 holes, Louis Oosthuizen (4/-15), made three bogeys in round three but countered with six birdies to shoot a 3-under 68
2019-20 PGA TOUR rookie Harry Higgs has 19 birdies and three bogeys through the first three rounds and sits T5 in his FedExCup Playoffs debut. He started the week at No. 72 in the FedExCup standings and is projected to finish No. 34.
Tyrrell Hatton (T9/-12) made 10 birdies en route to an 8-under 63, marks career-most birdies in one round (previously eight
birdies, most recent: 2020 RBC Heritage/R3). Made birdie on all par-3 holes (Nos. 3, 8, 11, 17) for the first time in his career (minimum of four par-3 holes played)
2016 and 2019 THE NORTHERN TRUST champion Patrick Reed sits at T51 (-3)
After THE NORTHERN TRUST, the top 70 players in the FedExCup standings advance to next week’s BMW Championship
Bogey-free rounds
R1 (7): Russell Henley (64), Louis Oosthuizen (65), Talor Gooch (66), Charles Howell III (66), Kyoung-Hoon Lee (67), Chez Reavie (68), Sam Burns (68)
R2 (10): Dustin Johnson (60), Scottie Scheffler (59), Harris English (66), Louis Oosthuizen (65), Russell Henley (67), Scott Harrington (67), Adam Long (67), Corey Conners (65), Cameron Smith (68), Paul Casey (69)
R3 (3): Hideki Matsuyama (65), Paul Casey (67), Justin Rose (67)
