A hat-trick of birdies from the fourth had briefly taken Johnson four shots clear of the field, although the 32-year-old gave the chasing pack a glimmer of hope with a bogey on the seventh.
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Chappell trailed by as many as four shots on the front nine.
McIlroy made a poor start with four bogeys and one birdie in the first eight holes, but the four-time major victor responded with birdies on the 10th and 12th to remain in contention for a third win of the season.
England’s Paul Casey, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and American Ryan Moore were tied for fifth, five shots adrift of Johnson.
Day was just three shots behind the lead but in the midst of making a mess of the eighth hole when he made a decision to pull the pin, ending his chances at the season long FedEx Cup and US$10 million (A$13.1 million) bonus.
McIlroy can only claim the big money prize if he wins the tournment and Johnson finishes outside the top two.
Chappell already has three runner-up finishes this season and now has to face the best player in golf at the moment.
“Unfortunately, I’ve got an annulus tear in my disc, annulus tear of the ligament”.
Chappell fired 68 to join Johnson at eight-under 202. Tiger Woods (2007, 2009) is the only player to have twice won the $10 million bonus.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Martin Flores birdied five of the last seven holes for a 5-under 66 and a three-stroke lead in the Web.com Tour Finals’ Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship.
The Tour Championship is the only event on the PGA Tour that hands out two trophies, one to the tournament victor and the other to the FedExCup champion.
Johnson caught a reasonable lie in the right rough, but instead of playing it low under a pine branch to the front bunker for a simple chance at making par, he tried to play a fade from a flyer lie, caught a branch and wound up in deep rough.
“I knew DJ (Johnson) was a few shots ahead of me and if there’s anyone I’m looking at this week, he’s the guy”, said the former world number one. He started his day by holing a 95-foot birdie putt.
“I just need to try and win this golf tournament, and whatever happens after that, happens”, McIlroy said.
“I promise you, I’ll be watching Dustin”, Chappell said.
“Three under around here, I’m always going to be pleased with that”, Johnson said. “I feel if I play really solid golf here – and it doesn’t have to be ideal golf – I can shoot eight under on this golf course”.
Chappell, seeking his first PGA Tour title, had three birdies in a row from the sixth through eighth.
He did not appear to flinch after either shot but after walking up to his ball right of the green, he made a decision to call it a day.
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He added: “I’m really comfortable with the swing”. 1, 12, 13 and 18 – in chilly conditions at Bear Mountain Resort, the first-year venue in the PGA Tour Champions event that was played in Hawaii from 2012-14.
