Dustin Johnson in four-way tie for Canadian Open lead
Whee Kim, Byeong Hun An and Kevin Tway also top leaderboard after three rounds
Saturday 28 July 2018 23:24, UK
Dustin Johnson powered his way into a four-way tie for the lead at the RBC Canadian Open with a seven-under 65 in the third round at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario.
The world No 1, who missed the cut at The Open last week, overcame a mid-round wobble to move to 17-under 199 alongside South Korean duo Whee Kim and Byeong Hun An and American Kevin Tway, who are all seeking their maiden PGA Tour victory.
The quartet are four shots clear of American Hudson Swafford and South African Rory Sabbatini, who are sharing fifth place on 13 under.
Johnson, who is chasing his 19th PGA Tour victory, closed with a birdie as he carded a flawless 66 in the second round on Friday and he continued where he had left off as he opened up with three successive birdies thanks to some superb approach shots.
Two further birdies followed at the fifth and sixth to spark suggestions that a 59 could be on the horizon, but he then added three straight pars before dropping shots at the 10th and 13th to slip slightly off the pace.
Johnson sparked his round back into life with a brilliant eight-iron second from a fairway bunker to three yards to set up a birdie at the 14th and he followed that up with another birdie at the par-three 15th after holing a 14-foot putt.
A massive 373-yard drive down the 16th then teed up an eagle at the 16th, although he could only par the final two holes and he rated his round as 'A-' afterwards.
"I putted A+ but I didn't strike it quite as well as I'd like to," Johnson told Sky Sports.
"I got off to a good start, I hit some good shots. I was just not as sharp as I was yesterday, but my score was better today. I would like to get to 25 [under] at least. I need to play well, though, it's out there. If I roll the putter like I did today and hit like I did yesterday I'll get there."
Kim made four birdies on the front nine and twice held the outright lead on the back nine after a birdie at the 12th and an eagle at the 16th, only to slip up with bogeys at the 14th and 17th as he signed for a 67.
An, winner of the BMW PGA Championship in 2015, produced some solid golf in his six-under 66 with three birdies on both the front nine and back nine, including one at the 18th.
Overnight-leader Tway, whose father Bob won the Canadian Open in 2003, also birdied the 18th as he closed with three birdies in four holes after earlier mixing three birdies with two bogeys.
England's Tommy Fleetwood and Irishman Shane Lowry are both in a seven-way tie for 13th on 11 under after performing well on the back nine to card four-under 68s.
Fleetwood knocked in five birdies, while his playing partner Lowry had three birdies and an eagle at the 16th.
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell is one shot further back following a flawless five-under 67, but Ian Poulter will have been disappointed with a level-par 72 which left him treading water on nine under.
Watch the final round of the Canadian Open from 7pm on Sunday live on Sky Sports Golf.