Dustin Johnson is the best player in the world right now even though the rankings don’t show it.
The second-ranked Johnson, who has won three of his last eight tournaments, kept it going with a 3-under-par 67 in the second round of the Tour Championship to take a one-stroke lead over Kevin Chappell at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
“I played better than I scored,” said DJ, the U.S. Open champion, who has a 36-hole total of 7-under 133 and will win the FedEx Cup with a victory. “I missed some putts, missed a short one for par at No. 17 and only made a par on the last hole. I left a few shots out there, but 3-under on this course is a good score.
“I really have control of my golf ball and have a of confidence in my swing, but this is a difficult golf course. … I would love to become World No. 1. Obviously, I need to finish off the weekend, and we’ll see what happens.”
Top-ranked Jason Day of Australia withdrew for the second straight tournament because of a back injury, walking off on the eighth holes. He was one stroke off the lead after an opening 67 and was even par for the second round through seven holes.
Chappell, from Fresno and UCLA, was tied for the lead with Johnson after opening 66s and followed that up with a 68, while Kevin Kisner holed a 12-foot putt on the last hole to cap a 70 and was four shots back in a tie for third with Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan who made a nine-foot birdie putt on the last hole to finish at 71.
Paul Casey of England, who placed second in the last two events, sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the last hole of a 70 and was another stroke behind in a tie for fifth with Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who bounced back from four bogeys on the front nine to also total 70, and Ryan Moore, who had two late birdies in a 68.
Justin Thomas took a penalty stroke when his ball moved to give him a double bogey-5 on the 11th hole and his 71 left him six shots down in a tie for eighth with Russell Knox of Scotland, whose 66 was the best score of the day, and rookie Si Woo Kim of South Korea, who had a 72.
Jordan Spieth, the defending FedEx Cup champion, carded a 72 and was seven strokes back in a tie for 11th with Adam Scott of Australia, No. 3 in the standings, who finished at 71, while Patrick Reed, second in the standings, was one more back in a tie for 19th after a 70.
Bubba Watson, hoping to land the final Captain’s Pick for the United State Ryder Cup team for the matches next week, posted a 73 and was 12 shots behind in solo 25th.
