DUSTIN JOHNSON’S PATH to the biggest payday in golf got more complicated tonight as a third-round 69 left him tied for the lead with Kevin Chappell at the USPGA Tour Championship.
The second-ranked American had led by four shots after his third straight birdie at the sixth hole at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia. But he fell a stroke behind Chappell with a double-bogey at the 17th before regaining a share of the lead with a birdie at the par-five finishing hole.
Chappell, meanwhile, was a model of consistency, and patience, with two birdies in his two-under 68 that left him level with Johnson eight-under par 202.
They were two strokes in front of Rory McIlroy and American Ryan Moore, who both carded four-under par 66 for 204.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama was alone on 205 after a 68. Jason Dufner was a further stroke back, while South African Charl Schwartzel, who had back-to-back eagles in his 66 was tied with England’s Paul Casey on 207.
Johnson, who started the day with a one-stroke edge over Chappell, wasted no time in stretching his lead.
He slowed with a bogey at the seventh, and a birdie at 12 was followed by back-to-back bogeys at 13 and 14.
Johnson rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-three 15th, but his double bogey at 17, where he was twice in the rough and in a bunker, saw Chappell take the lead with a 10-foot birdie putt at the same hole.
“I thought I played pretty well, just a couple of loose drives on the back side,” Johnson said. “Other than that, I thought the round was pretty solid.
“I missed a few good opportunities for birdie on 8, 9 and 2, but otherwise, I felt like I hit good putts,” he said. “They just didn’t go in.”
Chappell had just two birdies all day. He’d ground out 11 straight pars before chipping in for birdie at the 12th — a result that brought an emotional fist-pump from the American seeking his first US tour title.
“Probably the most difficult round I played this week in terms of ball control and positions that I was in,” Chappell said.
“But I fought real hard and the chip-in at 12 kind of got me fired up a little bit. I think that was the glue that kind of kept the round together.”
Johnson, in contrast, is the hottest player on the tour right now, with three wins since June including his breakthrough major title at the US Open.
Johnson leads the FedExCup playoff standings, with a $10 million bonus on offer to the playoff points winner on Sunday.
The prize is Johnson’s if he wins or finishes alone in second, but McIlroy and Moore are hot on his heels.
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