ON THE PGA TOUR
DUSTIN JOHNSON WINS TRAVELERS
CHAMPIONSHIP BY ONE
Dustin Johnson won the Travelers Championship on Sunday to end a
long drought and extend his career-long season victory streak to 13.
Johnson closed with a 3-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over
Kevin Streelman at TPC River Highlands. Johnson last won in March
2019.
“I’m de�nitely proud of myself for continuing the streak and I want to keep
it going,” Johnson said.
On Sunday, he �nished at 19-under 261 for his 21st PGA TOUR title.
Johnson came out of the delay and hit his tee shot on 16 into a greenside
bunker. His second shot went well past the hole and made bogey to cut his
lead to a stroke.
“I’ve had a few missed cuts, so to come back and �nish a solo second is
nice, but to be that close and perform and be right there, I’m just a little
disappointed right now,” Streelman said.
Johnson was at 19 under when his tee shot on the par-4 15th went left and
came inches from going into the signature lake that surrounds the �nishing
holes. His �rst pitch didn’t make it to the green, and he hit the second to 4
feet to save par.
“It was lucky, but a still had to make a good up-and-down to make par,” he
said.
SIMPSON’S SPECIAL FATHER’S
DAY VICTORY
The yellow shirt Webb Simpson wore on Sunday at the RBC Heritage
wasn’t a casual fashion choice.
He didn’t take it out of his closet because it would look good with
that red tartan jacket that goes to the winner of the tournament, either. Of
course, turns out that it did.
“Honestly, the last kind of 10 holes were a blur because guys are making
birdies, we’re trying to �nish before night comes,” Simpson said. “And so,
to �nish with �ve birdies like that was really special, especially after going
kind of yesterday and the �rst 10 holes, 11 holes today not making putts.
“To see the putts go in when I needed them, that was really fun to see the
ball going in the hole.”
The feverish competition worked in Simpson’s favor, too. As he saw
birdies being posted, he knew he had to be a little more aggressive after
giving up ground on the front nine. He played the �nal nine holes with
authority and con�dence, and was rewarded at the end.
“It’s typically not a golf course where you can force it, but today after
the storm, it softened things out, not much wind, we could go attacking,”
Simpson said. “Guys kept making birdies. I was blown away with the
scores, but there I hit my run, 12 through 17, and ultimately that’s what
made the difference.”
DANIEL BERGER GETS UP-AND-DOWN
TO WIN AT CHARLES SCHWAB
Daniel Berger was playing some of the best golf that no one
noticed. Three months away because of the COVID-19 pandemic
didn’t slow his momentum, and he made it pay off Sunday with
a victory at Colonial.
The PGA TOUR made a healthy return to golf at the Charles Schwab
Challenge. Berger saved par from behind the 17th green on the �rst
playoff hole and won when Collin Morikawa missed a 3-foot par putt.
Berger closed with a 4-under 66, his 28th consecutive round at par or
better dating to Oct. 11 at the Houston Open.
Even over the �nal hour, a half-dozen players were still in the mix. All
that was missing was the sound and energy of a gallery, with the PGA
TOUR not allowing spectators for the opening �ve events in its return.
Berger won for the third time -- all victories during this week on the
calendar, just not in circumstances like this. It was the �rst PGA TOUR
event since March 12 when the spread of the new coronavirus shut down
golf and other sports.
From no positive tests to a dynamic �nish at history-rich Colonial, PGA
TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan sized up the week by saying, “This
has been a phenomenal start to our return.”
GolfPlus JULY 2020 19