Dustin Johnson, after settling for three straight pars on the overhauled 12th hole at TPC Sawgrass, finally carded a birdie in Sunday’s final round on what many believed would be an entertaining, drivable par-4 at The Players Championship. The world No. 1 did not exactly take the direct path to the 3 on the 302-yarder that would help him finish with his first sub-70 round of this year’s tournament.
Dustin Johnson saves his best for last at The Players
DJ matches his best round ever with a 68 in Sunday’s final round at The Players.
Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
For sure, the longest player off the tee on the PGA Tour gave it a go, but yanked his drive into spectators on a hill in the left rough. That left a treacherous downhill pitch shot over the water, but DJ was up to the task, sticking his ball close for a tap-in birdie.
That was not Johnson’s only highlight on his way to a 4-under 68, to match his best score at the event (first round, 2014, and final round, 2016) and mark just the third time in 30 rounds he broke 70. With 71-73-74 in his first three rounds, he got his Mother’s Day started with a 50-foot putt for eagle on the par-5 second.
Johnson, the reigning U.S. Open champion, appears on track for next month’s title defense at Erin Hills after just missing out to Brian Harman by one shot at last week’s Wells Fargo Championship. Not too bad after taking four weeks off following a withdrawal from the Masters in April with a sore back.
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