Dustin Johnson wins weather-shortened Barclays
EDISON, N.J. - American Dustin Johnson carded a six under par 65 to claim his first US PGA Tour title of the year at The Barclays in an event shortened to 54 holes due to Hurricane Irene.The 27 year old from South Carolina finished 19 under over three rounds in New Jersey, two shots ahead of defending champion and compatriot Matt Kuchar (68).
The players teed off early Saturday in an effort to beat the weather, and Johnson - who trailed Kuchar by one - enjoyed a blistering opening at Plainfield Country Club.
He reached the turn in 29 thanks to five birdies and an eagle in an outward nine marred by only one bogey.
Kuchar also made a fast start and was five under for the day through 11 holes, but bogeys on 12 and 13 put paid to the 33 year old's chances.
Brandt Snedeker signed for the round of the day - a ten under par 61 to finish three shots off the pace and joint third with Fiji's Vijay Singh (68).
It was a fifth career victory for Johnson, who also won a weather-shortened tournament at Pebble Beach in 2009.
Englishmen Brian Davis and Justin Rose were the best-placed Europeans in a share of sixth \after third and final rounds of 64 and 67 respectively while Padraig Harrington closed with a 69 for a share of 13th place. World Number One Luke Donald hit a second successive 66 to finish joint 18th with, among others, Ian Poulter who shot a final round of 64.
Matt Kuchar 63-65-68 – 196 (-17) Moves from No. 12 to No. 2 in the FedExCup
Matt Kuchar, who entered the final round with a one-stroke lead, fell two-strokes shy in his attempt to join Ernie Els (1996-97) as the only back-to-back winners of The Barclays, carding a final round 68 to finish alone in second. It marks the first time in only his second attempt that Kuchar has not converted an overnight lead entering the final round. He held the 54-hole lead en route to victory at the 2009 Turning Stone Resort Championship.
The runner-up finish this week at The Barclays is fifth of Kuchar’s career and his second of the season (the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance).
Kuchar continues to be a model of consistency on the PGA TOUR, recording his ninth top 10 of the season, second only to Luke Donald’s 10. Over the last two years, Kuchar has collected a PGA TOUR best 20 top 10s. this week marks Kuchar’s 25th top 10 and 45th top-25 finish in his 70th start, dating to the beginning of the 2009 season.
With the runner-up finish this week, Kuchar moves from No. 12 to No. 2 in the FedExCup standings entering next week’s Deutsche Bank Championship. At No. 2 in the FedExCup standings, Kuchar is the highest-ranked player without a victory. Only Vijay Singh at No. 8 joins Kuchar in the top 10 without a victory. In 2010, Kuchar entered the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola leading the FedExCup standings and finished second to Jim Furyk in the final standings.
Brandt Snedeker – 70-66-61 – 197 (-16) Moves from No. 18 to No. 6 in the FedExCup
Brandt Snedeker carded tournament record 10-under 61 in the third and final round of The Barclays to move from a T29 and finish T3. Snedeker’s round was highlighted by a 6-under 29 on the front nine at Plainfield Country Club, the fourth 29 posted on the front nine this week (Dustin Johnson, R2- R3 and Y.E. Yang, R3). The round also featured 11 birdies, a career-best for Snedeker surpassing the 10 he made during the final round of the 2007 Wyndham Championship.
Today’s 61 equals Snedeker’s career-low round on the PGA TOUR,equaling a 61 in the first round of the 2007 Buick Invitational. The 61 is his best round in 14 career starts in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, bettering a 64 in the second round of the 2010 Deutsche Bank Championship. Entering this week his best round in 2011 was a 63, in the second round of the Travelers Championship in June.
Prior to today’s 61 by Brandt Snedeker, three players had posted 62s in the history of The Barclays when the event was contested at the par-71 Westchester CC, most recently Hunter Mahan in the first round in 2008. Mahan also carded a 62 in the third round in 2007 and Jim Wright fired a 62 in the second round in 1976.
Snedeker’s T3 is his third top 10 in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup (T5 -- 2010 Deutsche Bank Championship, T10 – 2009 BMW Championship. Snedeker is trying to reach the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola for the first time since his rookie season in 2007.
Snedeker, who picked up his second PGA TOUR victory earlier this year at the RBC Heritage in April, has now made 12-of-22 cuts (including The Barclays) with six top 10s.
Vijay Singh 65-64-68 – 197 (-16) Moves from No. 36 to No. 8 in the FedExCup
Vijay Singh, who entered the final round with one-shot off the 36-hole lead of Matt Kuchar, carded a 68 in the final round to finish T3. A four-time winner of The Barclays (1993, 1995, 2006 and 2008), Singh records his ninth top-10 finish in this event in his 19th start.
The 2008 FedExCup champion, Singh is looking to return to the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola after a two-year absence in 2009 and 2010. At No. 8 in the current FedExCup standings, Singh and Matt Kuchar (No. 2) are the only players in the top 10 without a victory.
Singh’s T3 is his fifth top 10 of the 2011 season in his 21st start. His best finish this year came in February with a runner-up finish at the Northern Trust Open.
Jonathan Byrd – 65-66-67—198 (-15) moves from No. 24 to No. 12 in the FedExCup
Jonathan Byrd improved his standing entering the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup more than any other player between 2010 (No. 117) and 2011 (No. 24). With a solo 5th at The Barclays, he continues his effort to improve his FedExCup rank. He is currently No. 12 in the standings.
Byrd, who won the 2010 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas with a hole-in-one as part of a three-man playoff, also won the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Byrd reached East Lake Golf Club for the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola in the first year of the FedExCup (2007) and ultimately finished No. 23 in the FedExCup standings.
Y.E. Yang – 70-66-63 – 199 (-14) Moves from No. 43 to No. 26 in the FedExCup
Y.E. Yang fired an 8-under 63 in the final round to move from a T29 and finish T6. The 63 represents Yang’s career-low round on the PGA TOUR, bettering a 64 in the third round of the 2008 Frys.com Open. Yang’s round was highlighted by a 6-under 29 on the front nine, the fourth 29 posted on Plainfield Country Club’s opening nine holes during the week (Dustin Johnson –R2-R3, Brandt Snedeker – R3). The 29 equals Yang’s best nine-hole score on TOUR, which he carded on the front nine during his 64 at the 2008 Frys.com Open.
Yang’s T6 at The Barclays 2011 is the first top 10 of his career in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. Prior to this week his best finish in a Playoff event was a T20 at The Barclays in 2009. Yang is looking to advance to the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola for the first time since 2009. He finished the 2009 season No. 23 in the FedExCup standings.
Entering this week Yang had made 10-of-14 cuts on the PGA TOUR in 2011 and recorded four top 10s (T8 --Waste Management Phoenix Open, T5 WGC Accenture Match Play Championship, 2nd – The Honda Classic, T3 – U.S. Open).
Nick Watney 66-66-64 – 200 (-13) moves from No. 1 to No. 3 in the FedExCup
Nick Watney, who entered this week No. 1 in the FedExCup standings, finished T10 at The Barclays and remains in the top five of the FedExCup standings at No. 3. Watney collected his ninth top 10 of the season, highlighted by victories at the World Golf Championsihps-Cadillac Championship and AT&T National.
William McGirt 64-69-70 – 203 (-10) moves from No. 125 to No. 96 in the FedExCup
Rookie William McGirt entered The Barclays No. 125 on the FedExCup points list and, on the strength of a T24, will be moving on to the second leg of the Playoffs next week at the Deutsche Bank Championship at No. 96. McGirt entered the Wyndham Championship last week at No. 127 and improved to No. 125 with a T52. Through the first 27 events of his rookie campaign (including this week), McGirt has made 14 cuts with his best result a T19 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.
Miscellaneous Notes
Camilo Villegas, who entered last week’s Wyndham Championship at No. 125 in the FedExCup standings, finished T6 at The Barclays and is now No. 51 in the FedExCup standings. Villegas finished T9 last week in Greensboro and entered The Barclays No. 109 in the standings.
Englishman Brian Davis posted a 64 in the final round to finish T6, his first top 10 in a PGA TOUR Playoffs event in his 12th start. He moves to No. 30 in the FedExCup standings and is looking to qualify for the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola for the first time.
Charley Hoffman, who will defend next week at the Deutsche Bank Championship outside Boston, finished T10 at The Barclays with rounds of 66-66-68 and moved to No. 33 in the FedExCup standings.
Fresh off his first PGA TOUR victory last week at the Wyndham Championship, Webb Simpson continued his solid play in 2011 with a T10 at The Barclays. After opening with 71, Simpson closed with rounds of 66 and 63 and remains in the top five of the FedExCup points standings at No. 4
Ernie Els closed with a 67 to finish T32 and will advance to the Deutsche Bank Championship at No. 99 in the FedExCup standings. He entered the week No. 118 after a T30 at the Wyndham Championship.
Ian Poulter entered The Barclays at No. 114 in the FedExCup standings and was on the verge of not advancing to next week’s Deutsche Bank Championship before four birdies in his last five holes propelled him to a 64 and a T18. Poulter will advance to Boston now at No. 68.
Return to Latest News archives