HOYLAKE, England — The player with the best chance to catch British open leader Rory McIlroy is Dustin Johnson, who posted a tournament-low 65 on Friday to stand at 8-under par, four shots behind McIlroy entering the weekend at Royal Liverpool.
With McIlroy looking as if he might run away with the Claret Jug and turn the British Open into the same drama-less affair that Martin Kaymer did last month at Pinehurst, Johnson did a great job of keeping McIlroy in his sights late in his round with birdies on 17 and 18.
“I played really solid from start to finish,’’ Johnson said. “I rolled the putter pretty well. I couldn’t be happier with the position I’m in. I’ve still got two more days of golf to play. I thought it was really tough out there and I still was able to shoot 7-under, which was a very good score around here this afternoon.’’
Johnson said he was targeting getting into the final Saturday group late in his round, but added, “I’m going to go out and play my game. I can’t worry about what [McIlroy] is doing.’’
He said he was buoyed by how he played in the wind — particularly hitting drivers.
“It was definitely a lot more breezy [Friday],’’ he said. “But [Thursday] I played in the morning, the wind was blowing, but it wasn’t blowing very hard. [Friday] was pretty steady breeze out, same direction all day. But the course definitely got drier and faster and definitely played tougher.
The long-hitting Johnson thrived, despite not hitting any drivers.
“This golf course doesn’t allow you too many chances to let the driver go,’’ Johnson said. “Even some of the downwind holes you’ve still got an iron position or you can hit a driver. I got to hit a couple [drivers]. On 17, I was trying to get down there a good ways. But other than that, I felt like I’ve really driven it well and hit some pretty good drives out there, even into the wind, got them out there a long way.
“I had a lot of fun out there, just tried to stay relaxed. I’m swinging really well. I feel really comfortable over the golf ball. So I’m looking forward to it.’’