Dustin Johnson Wins FedEx St. Jude Classic | Shot Clock Masters | Other Tour Results

Dustin Johnson finished the FedEx St. Jude Classic in style today, holing out for eagle at the 72nd hole to win the tournament by 6 strokes over Andrew Putnam at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee. Johnson, who reclaimed the number one spot in the world with the victory, finished at 19-under par for his second victory this season and his ninth over the last two years, a stretch that began with his first major championship, the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club.

Final Round Action

Dustin Johnson and Andrew Putnam began the day tied for the lead at 15-under par, five shots ahead of Stewart Cink, and 6 shots clear of Richy Werenski and Wesley Bryan. Putnam made a double bogey at the first hole to fall to two strokes behind and Johnson made a birdie at the 3rd hole to increase his lead to three. When Johnson and Putnam both made bogey at the 5th hole, Johnson’s lead remained at three strokes. Putnam made a birdie at the 7th hole to cut Johnson’s lead back to two, and that’s how it stood as the two men made the turn.

Dustin Johnson uses the TaylorMade TP5x Ball

After hitting his tee shot way left at the 12th hole, Johnson made a putt from nearly 16 feet for a big par save. Johnson then knocked his approach shot to about three feet at the 13th hole to make a birdie to get to 16-under par and push his lead back to three again. Up ahead of Johnson and Putnam, J.B. Holmes made birdies at 15 and 16 to get to 10-under par, but a bogey on the 17th hole dropped him back to 9-under par, where he would finish, taking third place. Stewart Cink made an eagle at the 16th hole to get himself back to 10-under par but, like Holmes, a bogey at the 17th hole put him back to 9-under par.

A birdie at the par-5 16th hole put Johnson at 17-under par, four strokes ahead of Putnam, who made a string of pars coming in. Johnson then holed out his second shot for eagle from 169 yards away with a nine iron at the final hole to increase the final margin to six shots. It was the second time this week that Johnson had holed out for an eagle. It seemed like a statement shot, announcing to everyone that his game was ready for the upcoming U.S. Open. One has to wonder where Dustin Johnson would be right now had he not injured himself on the eve of the 2017 Masters when he stood at the top of the game and on an incredible roll.

Notables

Former Open Championship winner Stewart Cink, who made a hole-in-one at the 8th hole on Saturday, had a roller coaster round that included a double bogey, two birdies, four bogeys and an eagle for a 2-over par 72 that left him at 8-under par, 9 strokes behind Johnson in a tie for 4th place. Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen shot a 4-under par 66 to finish at 7-under par and tied for 6th place, while Phil Mickelson shot a 5-under par 66, finishing in a tie for 12th place at 6-under par for the tournament. Steve Stricker, playing on the PGA Tour for the second time in three weeks, shot a 71 to finish in a tie for 18th place at 5-under par, while 2016 Open Championship winner Henrik Stenson also shot 71, and finished at 4-under par in a tie for 26th place.

The Shot Clock Masters

Mikko Korhonen won the Euopean Tour’s latest innovation, the Shot Clock Masters, by six strokes over Connor Syme today at Diamond Country Club in Atzenbrugg, Austria. Korhonen, who began the day with a five-shot lead over Justin Walters, shot a 3-under par 69 to finish at 16-under par, while Walters shot 71 and fell into a four-way tie for third with Nicholas Colsaerts, Raphael Jacquelin and Steve Webster at 9-under par. Syme made a birdie at the final hole to break out of what had been a five-way deadlock to finish at 10-under par and grab second place alone.

Mikko Korhonen built a seven-shot lead on the front nine before a bogey at the 9th hole cut the lead to six stokes but a quick bounce back birdie at 10 re-established his lead to seven shots. The final round of the Shot Clock Masters was suspended twice due to threat of lightning. Play was stopped for the second time as Korhonen was about to tee off on the 12th hole, still leading by seven strokes. When play resumed, Korhonen made a bogey at the 12th hole, but no one was able to challenge him, and after making another bounce back birdie at the 13th hole, he cruised in with pars on the last five holes.

Miguel Angel Jimenez began the day in a tie for 3rd place, one shot behind Walters at 7 under par, but shot an even-par 72 to finish in a tie for 12th.

Other Tours

LPGA Tour

Annie Park came from four strokes behind to win the ShopRite LPGA classic at Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club in Galloway, New Jersey, shooting an 8-under par 63 to finish at 16-under par to finish one shot ahead of Sakura Yokomine. Yokomine had come from even further back, beginning the day at 5-under par and shooting an incredible 10-under par 61 to finish in 2nd place. Marina Alex also made a big move on the final day, shooting a 7-under par 64 to finish at 14-under par, in third place, two strokes behind Park.

Sei Young Kim had began the day with the lead at 12 under par, two strokes ahead of Celine Herbin and shot a 1-under par 70 to finish at 13-under par in fourth place while Herbin shot an even par 71 to finish in a tie for 10th place. Sandra Gal and Sue Oh finished in a tie for 5th place at 12-under par, with Gal shooting a 6-under par 65 and Oh having a 3-under par 68.

Web.com Tour

Chase Wright won the Rust-Oleum Championship at the Ivanhoe Club in Ivanhoe, Illinois with a birdie on the 2nd playoff hole, defeating Alex Prugh, after the two men had finished their final round at 17-under par for the tournament. Wright shot a 4-under par 68, and Prugh had a 5-under par 67 to finish one stoke ahead of Christian Brand, who shot a 2-under par 70 and finished in third place.

Mark Anderson had a 5-under 67 to finish in a tie for 4th place at 15-under par with Cameron Champ, who shot a 4-under 68. Kyle Jones began the day in the lead at 15-under par, but shot a final round 73, one over par, to finish in a tie for 6th place with Maverick McNealy, Sebastián Muñoz, Dan McCarthy and Brady Schnell.

PGA Tour Champions

Tom Lehman was declared the winner when the final round of the Principal Charity Classic at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa was canceled today, shortening the 54-hole event down to 36 holes. Lehman had taken the second round lead with a 7-under par 65 to get to 13-under par, two strokes ahead of Scott Parel, who had a second round 6-under 66, and Bernhard Langer, who shot a 3-under par 69, along with Glen Day and Woody Austin, who both shot 4-under par 68. Langer had taken the first round lead with an 8-under par 64, one shot clear of Day and Austin, and two strokes ahead of Lehman.

Curtis Cup

The United States team defeated Great Britain and Ireland 17-3 in a dominating performance today at Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale, New York, in the Curtis cup, a match play event held by the USGA featuring teams of amateur women. The US began the day with a 9 to 3 lead and went on to win each and every singles match of the day, including five and four victories by Kristin Gilman over Annabelle Fuller and by Lucy Li over India Clyburn.

Coming Up Next

The 2018 U.S. Open begins this week at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York on Long Island, with play beginning on Thursday, June 14th and the final round scheduled for Sunday, June 17th. It seems as if all the top players are in great form coming into the championship so it should be a great U.S. Open. Be on the lookout for my special U.S. Open preview coming Wednesday.

The LPGA Tour will play the Meijer LPGA Classic, a 72-hole event at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which will play at 6,451 yards with a par of 71. The PGA Tour, European Tour, PGA Tour Champions and the Web.com Tour all have no tournaments scheduled for this coming week.

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