Dustin Johnson, known for length off the tee, showed off his precise ball-positioning and hot putter Saturday to take the RBC Heritage lead.
The world’s best golfer shot a 3-under 68 for a one-shot lead over Shane Lowry, Ian Poulter and Rory Sabbatini.
Johnson, a South Carolina native who had not played his home state’s only PGA TOUR stop for nine years before returning in 2018, seems to have found a home on Harbour Town Golf Links’ narrow fairways and smallish greens.
He had his sixth round in the 60s over the last two years to reach 10-under.
‘I really enjoyed playing in it last year after being away for so long,’ Johnson said. ‘It’s something I look forward to now. We have a really big fan base here, and growing up in South Carolina definitely helps.’
Lowry led the first 48 holes before making three bogeys on his final six holes for a 71. Poulter shot a 67, and Sabbatini had a 68.
Patrick Cantlay kept up his stellar weekend play and was two shots behind. Cantlay shot 64-68 last week at the Masters and had a 66 to lead a group of six at 8-under.
Johnson, who’s won 20 PGA TOUR titles, showed off other parts of his game that are at times overshadowed by his massive drives. He saved par out of the pine straw after a bad drive to the right and into the trees on the 12th hole, then made birdie on the par-5 15th after putting his tee shot in the woods.
He hit just five of 14 fairways, yet had only 25 putts.
If he can keep it up on Sunday, Johnson will become only the second South Carolina-born player to win the RBC Heritage, joining friend and one-time Dutch Fork High golf teammate Wesley Bryan, who became the first to do it two years ago.
Johnson won the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship in February and tied for second last week in the Masters.
