New York Post - USA (2020-11-15)

New York Post, Sunday, November 15, 2020

nypost.com

Thursday-Sunday

Augusta National

Golf Club

Par: 72 ● 7,475 yards

THIRD-ROUND

LEADERBOARD

Dustin Johnson -16

Sungjae Im -12

Abraham Ancer -12

Cameron Smith -12

Dylan Frittelli -11

Justin Thomas -10

Notables

Patrick Reed -9

Rory McIlroy -8

Brooks Koepka -8

Tiger Woods -5

Bryson DeChambeau -3

Jordan Spieth +1

Phil Mickelson +2

TV

10 a.m.-3 p.m., CBS

FORE-CAST

74 degrees; mostly sunny

2 pct. chance of rain;

Wind: 5 mph

The 84th Masters

AP

By Mark Cannizzaro

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Dustin Johnson

earlier this week was asked what his

favorite Masters tradition is.

After a pause, Johnson answered:

“The sandwiches.’’

Asked which one, he responded,

“All of them.’’

That opinion may change on Sun-

day if Johnson keeps playing the way

he did Saturday, opening up a four-

shot lead entering the final round

after shooting a third-round 65 to get

to 16-under.

The tournament record of 18-under,

shared by Tiger Woods and Jordan

Spieth, is in serious jeopardy of being

shattered.

If Johnson maintains his mojo on

Sunday, he’s going to be awarded a

green jacket, his own place inside the

Champions Locker Room and — most

importantly — an invite to play the

Masters until he’s 65 years old.

Then he can have all the sand-

wiches he wants.

Johnson, the 2016 U.S. Open winner,

is seeking his second career major

championship.

He leads Sungjae Im (68 in the third

round), Abraham Ancer (69) and Cam

Smith (69) — who are all 12-under — by

four shots. Im and Ancer are both play-

ing the Masters for the first time and

trying to join Fuzzy Zoeller (1979) as the

only first-timers to win a green jacket.

Dylan Frittelli (67) is five shots back

at 11-under and Justin Thomas (71) is six

back at 10-under. Jon Rahm, Patrick

Reed and Sebastian Munoz are 9-under.

The only player to win the Masters

who began the final round outside of

the top-five was Nick Faldo in 1996

when he overcame Greg Norman.

Johnson is ranked No. 1 in the world

and is the game’s hottest player. His

last six tournaments: Runner-up, win,

runner-up, win, sixth and runner-up.

He’s done everything at Augusta ex-

cept win the Masters, having finished

tied for sixth, tied for fourth, tied for

10th and runner-up in the last four in

which he’s played.

So, Johnson, who grew up an hour

away from Augusta National in Co-

lumbia, S.C., but never played the

course until he was about to play his

first Masters in 2009, is due.

He has, however, had a complicated

history with 54-hole leads. In his ca-

reer, he’s converted 10 of 22 into victo-

ries. In majors, though, he’s 0-for-4,

having lost the PGA Championship in

August at Harding Park in San Fran-

cisco, along with the 2010, 2015 and

2018 U.S. Opens.

“If I can play like I did today, I think

it will break that streak,’’ Johnson said.

“[Sunday] it’s just 18 holes of golf. I

need to go out and play solid. I feel

like I’m swinging really well. If I can

just continue to give myself a lot of

looks at birdie, I think I’ll have a good

day.

“I put myself in the situation a lot of

times. I know what it takes. I know

how I respond in this situation. I’m

very comfortable with having the lead

going into [Sunday]. I’ve been in this

situation a lot of times. I’m looking

forward to the challenge. It’s still going

to be a tough day. I’m going to have to

play well if I want to get it done.

“The game is in really good form

right now. It’s just very consistent.’’

Johnson said his form feels “very

similar to what it was back in 2017.’’

Johnson was the odds-on favorite in

2017 but never made it to the first tee,

suffering a fall at the home he was

renting, injuring himself and having to

withdraw before the first round.

“I’m going to have to go out and play

well,’’ he said. “There’s a lot of really

good players right around me, so as

we all know here, if you get it going,

you can shoot some low scores. I’m

going to need to go out and play a re-

ally good round of golf if I’m going to

get a green jacket.’’

Entering this week, Johnson’s previ-

ous low score at Augusta was 67. He’s

shot 65 in the first and third rounds

this week and has gone the past 30

holes without a bogey.

Incredibly, Johnson is just five

weeks removed from testing positive

for COVID-19. His first tournament

back after quarantining was last week

in Houston, where he finished run-

ner-up.

The day began with 10 players

within one shot of the lead and it

ended with Johnson in complete con-

trol, thanks to him seizing control

with an early outburst in the third

round, during which he went 4-under

for the first four holes — an eagle and

two birdies.

The chase was on from there ... to

be continued on Sunday.

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