Johnson keeps mojo going to share first-round lead
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[September 23, 2016]
(Reuters) - Top seed Dustin
Johnson continued his "good mojo" to earn a tie for the first-round
lead with Kevin Chappell and Hideki Matsuyama at the Tour
Championship in Atlanta on Thursday.
The power-hitting U.S. Open champion continued to make a fickle game
look easy, compiling five birdies in a seemingly-effortless
four-under-par 66 in ideal conditions at East Lake.
"I felt like I had good mojo going all day and swung it very
nicely," Johnson told Golf Channel. "I hit a lot of great shots with
the irons and drove it nicely. That puts together a good score."
Johnson, fellow American Chappell and Japan's Matsuyama headed
Australian world number one Jason Day, South Korean Kim Si-woo and
American Kevin Kisner by one stroke in the elite 30-man field.
Day continued to feel occasional twinges of the back pain that
forced him to pull out of the previous playoff event, the BMW
Championship, after three rounds.
The season-ending Tour Championship is the only event on tour that
hands out two trophies -- one to the tournament winner and another
to the winner of the season-long FedExCup points race.
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The FedExCup champion will receive $10 million and Johnson, a
three-time winner this season, is in pole position. He will win the
FedExCup if he also wins the tournament, as would the next four
seeds -- Patrick Reed, Day, Adam Scott and Paul Casey.
Casey made a 30-foot eagle putt at the par-five 18th for two-under
68, while Scott finished poorly with two late bogeys for a 69 and
Reed struggled to a 73.
Johnson hit a couple of wayward drives, but was otherwise a model of
consistency.
His sole bogey came at the par-four 13th, his drive there ending up
behind a pine cone from where he could advance the ball only 30
yards.
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![](../images/092316pics/sports59.jpg)
Dustin Johnson reacts after teeing off the ninth hole during the
2016 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. Brett Davis-USA
TODAY Sports
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Four holes later, Johnson's drive almost struck Sky Sports on-course
reporter Wayne Riley, a former professional who took his on-course
role a little too literally by wandering down the fairway instead of
staying in the rough.
Johnson's drive landed within a couple of paces of a surprised
Riley, who came in for some light-hearted ribbing by his fellow
commentators.
Joint leader Matsuyama, meanwhile, made a nice start on the more
difficult front nine and picked up two more shots on the inward
half.
"I was a little bit lucky on that front nine but got into a good
rhythm," said the world number 18. "I putted well today and that's
what made the difference."
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Mark
Lamport-Stokes)
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