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SPORTS Monday 28 august 2017
Johnson pulls off a stunner over Spieth in Northern Trust

By DOUG FERGUSON and knocked it in, like he Johnson made a 7-foot
AP Golf Writer always seems to do. birdie putt for another two-
OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (AP) — On the closing hole, John- shot swing.
Dustin Johnson faced long son showed the kind of golf Johnson began the back
odds all day against Jor- I.Q. that belies his simple nine with an 8-foot birdie,
dan Spieth until the longest outlook on life. After he and they were tied.
drive led to an unlike play- sliced his drive up the hill The closest Johnson came
off victory Sunday in The and into a nasty lie in the to taking the lead was a
Northern Trust. rough, he chose to lay up 15-foot eagle attempt that
Johnson rallied from a five- instead of trying to ham- narrowly missed. Spieth re-
shot deficit on the front mer a shot to an elevated gained the lead with an
nine. And on the final hole green. 8-foot birdie on the 14th,
in regulation, after one of But he made it pay off with and Johnson tied him
the most powerful players a par, that got him into the again from 18 feet on the
in golf chose to lay up from playoff after Spieth lagged next hole.
the rough, his 18-foot par a 75-foot putt perfectly to It was great theater, even
putt swirled around the cup get his par. before a crowd not nearly Dustin Johnson holds up his trophy after winning The Northern
and fell in the back side for They finished at 13-under as large as other courses Trust golf tournament over Jordan Spieth in a playoff on Sunday,
Aug. 27, 2017, in Old Westbury, N.Y.
a 4-under 66 to force a sud- 267. used in the rotation, and it Associated Press
den-death playoff. Johnson won for the first lasted all the way until the
Returning to the 18th hole, time since he wrenched his end. shot behind, though he Otherwise, it was a matter
Johnson felt the wind switch back during a spill down No one else really had a had stronger holes ahead of who finished among the
and took on the lake with the stairs that knocked him chance. of him and fell back. Jho- top 100 in the FedEx Cup
a 341-yard tee shot — the out of the Masters and de- Jon Rahm ran off three nattan Vegas was within to move on to the TPC Bos-
longest of the week on that railed his dominance in golf. straight birdies early on the two shots after playing the ton next week for the next
hole — that left him a lob He had won three straight back and briefly was one scoring holes. playoff event.q
wedge that he hit to 4 feet. tournaments against strong
Spieth, who already made fields until that injury.
his share of big putts along “I feel like the game is final-
the back nine at Glen ly back in form like it was
Oaks, hit 7-iron to the back before the Masters,” John-
collar and missed his 25- son said.
foot birdie putt. Johnson Of his 16 victories, this was
rolled in his short birdie putt the first time Johnson faced
for his fourth victory of the a must-make putt on the fi-
year. nal hole, and he delivered
Spieth, who closed with a a par putt that even Spieth
69, lost for the first time in thought was going to miss
six tries when leading by on the high side of the hole.
at least two shots. There The Northern Trust never
wasn’t much he could do looked as though it would
except take back that tee contain so much drama.
shot into the water on the Spieth began with a three-
par-3 sixth hole after build- shot lead.
ing a five-shot lead. John- He two-putted from long
son played bogey-free in range for birdie on the par-
the final round, and played 5 third hole when Johnson,
his final 29 holes at par or from closer range but put-
better. ting from off the green,
“I didn’t lose the tourna- took three to get down for
ment,” Spieth said. “He a par.
won it.” And then the fifth hole felt
The opening FedEx Cup like a dagger — Spieth
playoff event featured two poured in a 30-foot birdie
of the biggest names in putt, and Johnson missed
golf who put on an amaz- his birdie from 8 feet.
ing show on Long Island. That gave Spieth a five-
“I thought that was a fun shot lead — no one else
show,” Spieth said. “I was was closer than seven —
hoping it wasn’t going to and it seemed even larger
be that much fun.” because Johnson wasn’t
Johnson made up a five- making any putts.
shot deficit in five holes, Five holes later, they were
and they battled along the tied.
back nine with big shots Spieth’s tee shot on the
and big moments. They next hole banged off the
were tied on the par-3 17th rock wall and into the wa-
when both hit into a bun- ter on the par-3 sixth, and
ker, and Johnson blasted he made double bogey.
out to 4 feet with an easier On the ninth hole, Spieth
shot and angle to the hole. took three putts from just off
Spieth had 18 feet for par the left side the green, and