Johnson takes 6-shot lead
Dustin Johnson shot a 4-under 68 in blustery conditions that led to big numbers, building a six-shot lead in the HSBC Champions and leaving him one round away from becoming the first player to win three World Golf Championships in the same year.
He got plenty of help from Brooks Koepka.
They were tied for the lead through seven holes Saturday until a four-shot swing on the par-5 eighth hole. Koepka drove into the hazard off the tee, and then found the hazard again on his approach to the green. He missed a 6-foot putt and took triple-bogey 8.
Johnson smashed his drive over the trees and into the fairway, and with a thick splotch of mud on his golf ball, he sent that into the left rough above the green. He hit a flop shot to 15 feet and holed it for birdie.
Just like that, his lead was four shots, and no one got any closer the rest of the way.
Johnson was at 17-under 199. Koepka hit into the water from a bunker on the par-5 closing hole at Sheshan International and had to make a 6-footer to save bogey. That gave him a 73, leaving him six shots behind.
Henrik Stenson, finally starting to round into form, shot 69 and was at 10-under 206.
Even with more wind anticipated Sunday, this was turning into another exhibition for Johnson, the world’s No. 1 player.
“I’m in a good position going into tomorrow,” Johnson said. “But I’m still going to have to go out and play a really solid round if I want to get it done.”
Johnson earlier this year won the WGC-Mexico Championship and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Texas. Not even Tiger Woods with his 18 titles in the World Golf Championships ever won more than two in one year.
Johnson already has five such titles, and he’s the only player to have won each of the four. He won the HSBC Champions four years ago.
Armour takes 5-shot lead: Ryan Armour shot a 5-under 67 during a windy, chilly third round to take a five-stroke lead at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Armour, who led by one after 36 holes, had eight birdies and three bogeys to move to 15 under 201. Chesson Hadley (68) was next at 10 under. Vaughn Taylor (70), Scott Strohmeyer (68), Beau Hossler (69), Ben Silverman (69), and Seamus Power (71) were tied for third another shot back at 207.
Armour, 41, is seeking his first PGA Tour title in his 105th Tour event.
After the first two rounds were played in sunshine and near-80 degree temperatures, it was in the low 50s on Saturday. Biting wings added to the chill factor – and the uncertainty on judging shots.
An Ohio native who now lives in Jupiter, Florida, Armour fought through the conditions to post the day’s low round.
He overcame bogeys on holes Nos. 5-7 with four straight birdies on the back nine, capped by a 57-foot putt on the most difficult hole on the course, the par-4 16th, to regain control.
Steve Wheatcroft of Washington made the cut after two rounds and shot 77 Saturday. He is at 4-over for the tournament.