JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Dustin Johnson missed nine birdie chances from 10 feet or closer at Liberty National, which ordinarily might annoy him. But he’s hitting the ball so well that he still leads the Northern Trust Open.
Johnson birdied three of his last six holes Friday, finishing with an approach to 8 feet on the 489-yard closing hole for a 4-under 67 that gave him a one-shot lead over Jordan Spieth (64) going into the weekend.
Johnson, who has won FedEx Cup playoff openers twice at other courses, was at 12-under 130.
“I’ve got a lot of control with the golf ball and hitting a lot of really nice shots, and rolled in a couple putts today, which is nice, but still feel like I left quite a few out there,” Johnson said. “I’m in a good position heading into the weekend, and if I can keep swinging the way I am, I think it’s going to be a good weekend.”
Spieth might be finding some form at just the right time. Winless in more than two years, he started the PGA Tour’s postseason at No. 69 in the FedEx Cup with no assurance of staying among the top 70 who advance to next week at Medinah.
LPGA: Mi Jung Hur of South Korea surged into a two-shot lead in the rain-delayed second round of the Ladies Scottish Open, getting the best of the draw and finishing in the early evening with a 9-under 62 at North Berwick, Scotland.
Players with morning tee times dealt with heavy wind and rain, and play was suspended in the early afternoon, delaying the start times for the second half of the field and giving them a huge advantage as the sun came out and the wind died. The second round couldn’t be completed Friday because of darkness.
Hur, who started on No. 10, made only one par over her first 12 holes. She began with two birdies, then holed a pitch-and-run from the rough for eagle on the par-5 12th. She made six more birdies, with two bogeys over her next nine, and added one more birdie to post a two-day total of 14-under 128.
“I got a really lucky draw for this week. I had the morning yesterday and afternoon today,” Hur said. “I know it was really tough this morning but sometimes I need luck for those things.”
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