Casey settled for second place for the second week in a row on 268, his seventh runner-up finish on the US PGA Tour, after a 67 with American Roberto Castro third on 271.
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Johnson couldn’t make any putts early.
Johnson’s three-shot lead to start the day quickly evaporated when he bogeyed two of his first three holes and Casey birdied holes two and three.
DeChambeau earned $180,000. The 2015 NCAA and U.S. Amateur champion got into the field as a non-member with enough PGA Tour money to have placed in the top 200 in the FedEx Cup had he been eligible. “He’s got maybe the best attitude in golf”.
“I think if you look at the tour, it sure helps to be long”, Castro said.
They were at 14-under 130.
Johnson chose to switch to the TaylorMade Spider. The oversize head of the putter is created to increase stability.
As for the technology that goes into the club, Johnson could care less.
“I hit a lot of good shots, a couple of bad misses but other than that played really solid all week”, Johnson, 32, said in a greenside interview. Unfortunately, Johnson dropped his own eagle at the 15th right on top of him, essentially sealing the victory. Then he floored it at Crooked Stick Golf Club. Johnson says he took a physics course in high school.
In the 113th edition of an event that traces its history to 1899, Johnson broke the 72-hole record of 22-under set by Tiger Woods in 2007 and matched previous year by Australia’s top-ranked Jason Day.
The injury was not considered serious, and Day was hopeful of being in Atlanta in two weeks for the Tour Championship and a shot at the $10 million FedEx Cup bonus.
It’s not that dire.
Casey finished second, also after a round of 67 which included four birdies and, at the par-five 15, an eagle – but that was matched by Johnson to cancel out the benefit. Third place would all but secure it. “But whether he has his mind made up or is still thinking, that’s up to him”.
Day dropped from second to fourth in the FedExCup standings which is of minimal effect as those in the top five can guarantee the FedExCup with a win in the TOUR Championship.
Casey doesn’t want to see an even-better Johnson. One week after he had the 54-hole lead in the TPC Boston (he finished two shots behind Rory McIlroy), he played bogey-free for a 66 on Friday and was three shots out of the lead.
“Not much you can do”, Casey said. “I’m rolling it really nicely”.
The impetus for Johnson’s switch came from playing several rounds during the FedEx Cup Playoffs with Jason Day. He is No. 22 in the world. That and winning, which Casey hasn’t done on the PGA Tour since 2009.
European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke has already made his picks, but he may wish he had waited like the United States’ Davis Love III.
Bubba Watson, the No. 7 player in the world, overcame his fear of blind shots and shot a 67 to tie for 10th.
DJ AND DAY: Jason Day and Johnson are Nos.
He claimed his fourth career victory and earned nearly $2 million to re-establish himself as a force on the world’s most competitive Tour. They started 1 and 2 in the FedEx Cup.
The Australian was leading the Vardon Trophy for the lowest adjusted scoring average going into the BMW Championship.
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After finishing T4 and 4 outright in the first two playoff events, Scott moved from fifth to third in the FedEx Cup but more importantly has been the most consistent player over the first three weeks.
