Dustin Johnson took control of the BMW Championship with a 4-under-par 68 to build a three-stroke lead over Paul Casey of England heading to the final round of the third event in the FedEx Cup playoffs at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind.
Johnson, the U.S. Open champion who was tied for the lead after a course-record 63 in round two, birdied four of the last five holes to finish 54 holes with a total of 18-under 198.
“I thought I played pretty solid today,” said DJ, who can take the FedEx Cup points lead with a victory. “It was pretty tough, the wind was blowing pretty hard and a little bit different direction, made the par-5s play a little bit tougher.
“Then with all the rain we got last night, I felt that I struggled with the speed (on the greens) a little bit early in the round and I kept leaving everything a little bit short. But I got a pretty good handle on it on the back nine and finished off really nicely.
“I’m not going to change anything. Just play it the same way I’ve been playing it.”
Casey, who finished second to Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland in the Deutsche Bank Championship last week, continued his strong play by also shooting 68, while J.B. Holmes also had a 68 and was another shot back in solo third, followed by 36-hole leader Roberto Castro, who is six back in fourth after failing to make a birdie in his 74.
Adam Scott of Australia carded a 67 that included a 40-foot eagle putt on the seventh hole and was seven strokes down in a tie for fifth with Matt Kuchar, who finished at 68.
Ryan Palmer was one more shot behind in seventh after a 69, followed by Chris Kirk, who was nine down in eighth after a two closing bogeys in a 73.
Jordan Spieth, the defending FedEx Cup champion, chipped in for eagle on the 11th hole but made his only bogeys on the last two holes to shoot 68 and is 10 strokes behind in a tie for ninth with Hideki Matsuyama, who had a 69, and Billy Horshel, who wound up at 67.
Patrick Reed, the FedEx Cup points leader, and top-ranked Jason Day were 13 strokes behind in a tie for 21st after 71s, Phil Mickelson was in a tie for 28th, also after a 71.
McIlroy posted a 73 and was in a tie for 35th with Sergio Garcia of Spain, who struggled to a 76.
