Golf

Dustin Johnson cruises into a two shot lead in Hawaii

World number one is well-placed to pick up a win at first tournament of asking in 2018

Dustin Johnson of the United States plays a shot on the 14th green during the third round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club in Lahaina, Hawaii. Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Sun Jan 7 2018 - 11:40

World number one Dustin Johnson holds a two-shot lead going into the final day of the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

The American fired a seven-under-par 66 on the third day in Hawaii to move to the top of the leaderboard, with compatriot Brian Harman his closest challenger.

Johnson’s one blemish of the day came with a bogey on the par-three 11th but he immediately followed that by holing a 65-yard pitch for eagle on the 12th.

He had already picked up shots on the second, fifth and ninth and closed with further gains on the 14th and 15th and 18th.

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Harman led at the turn, having tapped-in for eagle on the par-five fifth after going within inches of holing his second shot, but back-to-back bogeys on the back nine saw him slip back.

Harman recovered with successive birdies on the 14th and 15th and another gain on the last took him to 14 under.

Jon Rahm is a further two shots back after charging up the standings on the third day. The Spaniard gained five shots on his last five holes and matched Johnson's 66.

After two birdies on the front nine, Rahm picked up another at the 14th before a 232-yard approach to the par-five 15th helped him record an eagle, and he followed it with further birdies on the 16th and 18th.

Rickie Fowler's flawless 68 left him 11 under alongside fellow American Jason Dufner, who had four birdies and two bogeys on the front nine alone in a four-under 69.

Overnight leader Marc Leishman tumbled down the standings with a 76, dropping shots on the fourth, seventh, 10th and 13th, and now lies in a tie for 12th, one shot behind Jordan Spieth who is eight under for the tournament after firing 70 on Saturday.

Collated third round scores & totals in the PGA Tour Sentry Tournament of Champions, Plantation Course at Kapalua, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii, United States of America (USA unless stated, par 73):

203 Dustin Johnson 69 68 66

205 Brian Harman 68 68 69

207 Jon Rahm (Spa) 71 70 66

208 Jason Dufner 71 68 69, Rickie Fowler 69 71 68

209 Pat Perez 72 66 71, Jhonattan Vegas (Ven) 68 70 71

210 Chris Stroud 72 66 72

211 Daniel Berger 73 70 68, Billy Horschel 70 71 70, Jordan Spieth 75 66 70

212 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn) 70 70 72, Marc Leishman (Aus) 67 69 76, Patrick Cantlay 70 70 72, Kevin Kisner 70 70 72, Si Woo Kim (Kor) 69 71 72

213 Cameron Smith (Aus) 75 70 68, Patton Kizzire 72 72 69

214 Xander Schauffele 72 72 70, Ryan Armour 71 73 70, Kevin Chappell 74 70 70

215 Russell Henley 74 69 72

217 Grayson Murray 74 74 69, Bryson DeChambeau 73 73 71

218 Kyle Stanley 70 75 73, Austin Cook 74 74 70

219 Brendan Steele 71 74 74

220 Wesley Bryan 74 70 76, Hudson Swafford 72 72 76

221 Justin Thomas 71 75 75

222 Adam Hadwin (Can) 73 75 74

223 Jonas Blixt (Swe) 77 71 75

226 D.A. Points 76 76 74

230 Brooks Koepka 78 74 78

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