The Open: Dustin Johnson throws away his lead yet again
It was a bad day at office for Dustin Johnson to say the least. The American, who led after two rounds succumbed to the pressure on Sunday as he finished at 7-under, tied for 18th place as we enter Monday’s final round.
Johnson recently choked on the 72nd hole at Chambers Bay where he three-putted to give Jordan Spieth his second Major. He also lost the 2010 US Open, which he led by three shots after 54 holes. The 31-year-old lost a chance to compete in a playoff after the unfortunate grounding of his club at the 2010 PGA Championship.
Johnson failed to birdie until the 15th and it looks like his first Major win has to wait.
“I didn’t feel like I played that bad,’’ he said.
“I just couldn’t hole the putts. I felt like I was hitting good putts. They just weren’t going in the hole. There’s nothing you can really do about that. I was trying, but it was just one of those days where it felt like it played very easy out there. The first 11 holes couldn’t have played any easier.’’
Jordan Spieth, who is aiming to become only the second player since Ben Hogan in 1953 to win the first three Majors of the year is trailing by a stroke headng into Round 4. On Sunday, he made seven birdies and one bogey to stay one back at 11 under par.
Spieth is excited of joining Hogan in an exclusive club.
"I see something that's only been done once before [Hogan], and it was a long time ago. I think, to be in that category of having done something you love and that you are doing for your life, [and] only one person has [done it], that opportunity very rarely comes around. I'd like to have a chance. . . ."
Louis Oosthuizen, who won the Open Championship in 2010, the last time it was played at St. Andrews shot five-under 67 on Sunday and is 12 under par for three rounds. Jason Day, who battled vertigo at the US Open is tied for first position with the South African after carding five-under 67 in the third round.
22-year-old amateur from Dublin, Paul Dunne handled pressure beautifully to shoot 66 and ended Sunday at 12 under par.
Leaderboard ahead of Round 4:
| Position | Player | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total |
| T1 | Louis Oosthuizen | -5 | -2 | -5 | -12 |
| T1 | Jason Day | -6 | -1 | -5 | -12 |
| T1 | Paul Dunne | -3 | -3 | -6 | -12 |
| 4 | Jordan Spieth | -5 | E | -6 | -11 |
| 5 | Padraig Harrington | E | -3 | -7 | -10 |
| T6 | Retief Goosen | -6 | E | -3 | -9 |
| T6 | Justin Rose | -1 | -4 | -4 | -9 |
| T6 | Sergio Garcia | -2 | -3 | -4 | -9 |
| T6 | Zach Johnson | -6 | -1 | -2 | -9 |
| T6 | Adam Scott | -2 | -5 | -2 | -9 |