World number one Dustin Johnson sends a warning with eye-catching round in Hawaii
After an indifferent 2017, the 33-year-old shows good signs with a five-under-par second round at the Sentry Tournament of Champions
Dustin Johnson offered a reminder that he is still the world number one as he moved within one stroke of second-round leaders Marc Leishman and Brian Harman at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.
Johnson recovered from a slow start to run up seven birdies for a five-under-par 68 on the Kapalua Plantation course on the island of Maui.
He was deprived of a share of the lead only when Leishman and Harman both birdied the 663-yard, par-five 18th which plunges down the West Maui mountains.
Leishman (69) and Harman (68) are 10-under 136 overall. They also thrived in conditions which started with a strong trade wind blowing down the mountain, before abating late in the day.
“I got off to a rough start, bogeyed three and four from the middle of the fairway,” said 2013 champion Johnson, who has never shot over par on the course. “I was hitting some good shots, just didn’t score very well.
“[Birdies at the sixth, eighth and ninth holes] got me back in the rhythm and played a really solid back nine.”