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A18 SPORTS
Saturday 28 OctOber 2017
Johnson takes 1-shot lead over

Koepka in HSBC Champions

By DOUG FERGUSON putts were in the 15-foot he failed to birdie were No.
AP Golf Writer range, and he finished with 11, where he missed a 10-
SHANGHAI (AP) — Dustin a 5-foot slider on the 18th to foot birdie putt, and the
Johnson and Brooks Ko- reach 13-under 131. par-5 14th, where he had
epka, close friends who Koepka, who led after the 6-iron into the green for his
live down the street from first round with a 64, had second shot.
each other in Florida, are what he referred to as a rel- Koepka felt as though he
in the final group going atively boring day, at least left his share of shots out
World number one golfer Dustin Johnson hits from the fairway into the weekend at the in the middle. He opened there, too. On three of the
at the 2017 WGC-HSBC Champions golf tournament held at the HSBC Champions. They are with two straight birdies, fol- par 5s, he missed birdie
Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China, Friday, Oct. separated by one shot, so lowed with 13 consecutive chances from 8 feet or in.
27, 2017. it might feel like one of their pars, and then birdied two Kiradech Aphibarnrat of
Associated Press money matches when they of his last three holes for a Thailand had a 70 and
play together at home. 68. joined Rose at 9-under
There’s just one problem They will be joined by Jus- 135. Patrick Reed, who has
with that. tin Rose (68), making that gone 14 months without
“We don’t really play much three of the last five U.S. winning, shot 70 and was
golf,” Johnson said after his Open champions in the fi- six behind.
9-under 63 for a one-shot nal group Saturday. Johnson and Koepka first
lead Friday at Sheshan In- Johnson and Koepka are played together in the
ternational. “We go to the naturals as friends. Both cut third round of the 2014 U.S.
gym and we hang out, supremely athletic figures Open at Pinehurst No. 2, a
but we don’t go to the and are among the big- vague memory for Koepka.
golf course together. We gest hitters in golf. Neither He just remembers John-
played last Saturday, and gets overly worked up over son having to hit one shot
that was the first time we anything. Their celebrations left-handed, and neither
played in ... I couldn’t tell are subdued, even when of them having much of
you how long. All year, winning U.S. Opens. a chance against Martin
probably.” Koepka talks a little more, Kaymer that week.
They won both their match- which is not much. He was They last played together
es as partners at the Presi- one shot behind going into in the opening two rounds
dents Cup, and Koepka the final round of the U.S. at Firestone in the Bridge-
says they saw each other Open and Johnson called stone Invitational, though
for 14 out of their 21 days at him that Saturday night. they are regulars in prac-
home. Koepka described it as a tice rounds at the majors.
It just didn’t involve much “long phone call for us. It Koepka would like noth-
golf. was like two minutes.” It ing better than for them to
That figures to change at was a rare conversation have a chance on the final
the final World Golf Cham- about golf. Johnson simply nine Sunday.
pionships event of the year, told him that he was play- “I have no problem break-
and it could be quite a ing well and not to worry ing Dustin’s heart. I can
show. about anything else. promise you that. I’m sure
Johnson, the No. 1 player “We both kind of have the he’d say the same thing if
in the world who has been same attitude,” Koepka he was sitting up here,” Ko-
alternating between two said. “We’re not going to epka said. “We both have
putters over the last few take things too seriously. a lot of fun off the golf
putts, brought a third op- We like to relax. We like to course, but when it comes
tion to Shanghai. This had a work out. We’ve got the to golf, I think we both want
mallet head, and it lasted same interests, and that to kick each other’s butts.
all of one round. So he got makes it easy. To be hon- There’s no mercy out there.
a fourth one — a Taylor- est with you, I don’t think When we both show up, I
Made Spider with a metal we’ve ever really talked think we’re both expecting
insert that wasn’t quite as about golf. Maybe when to win.”q
soft as the version he used we play practice rounds,
to win three straight times that’s about the only time
in the spring. He hit a few we ever talk about golf.
putts, went onto the course When we’re away, we’re
and made just about ev- away and I think that’s kind
erything. of one of the beauties of
“The guys here in China our friendships.”
made me one. I got it right Johnson won the HSBC
before I walked to the tee,” Champions in 2013, and he
Johnson said. “I hit a few looks formidable when he’s
putts on the practice green making putts, as was the
with it and I was like, ‘Oh, case on Friday. After a rela-
this will work pretty well.’ tively slow start, with birdies
Went out and holed a lot on both par 5s on the front,
of putts today, so I kind of he ran off seven over his last
like it.” nine holes for a 29 on the
Two of his closing birdie back nine. The two holes