Johnson Leads by 5 Shots: "1.78 Billion Won in Sight"… Im Sung-jae Falls Back with 2 Over Par

PO Final 3rd Round Tour Championship Day 3 '6-Under Par Storm Shots', Thomas and Schauffele Tied for 2nd, Im Sungjae Tied for 6th

Dustin Johnson is examining the putting line on the 18th hole on the third day of the Tour Championship. Atlanta, Georgia, USA ? Getty Images/Multivitz

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] The dominant run of 'PO No.1' Dustin Johnson (USA) continues.

On the 7th (Korean time) at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, USA (par 70, 7,280 yards), Johnson surged with a 6-under-par on the third day of the final third round of the PGA Tour Playoffs (PO) Tour Championship, jumping to a 5-stroke lead at 19-under-par. Justin Thomas and Xander Schauffele (both USA) are locked in a tough chase at a tie for 2nd place (14-under-par). Im Sung-jae (22, CJ Logistics) fell back to a tie for 6th place (10-under-par) after losing 2 strokes.

Johnson racked up 7 birdies (1 bogey). After a birdie on the 3rd hole (par 4), he gained momentum with 'stepping stone birdies' on the 7th and 9th holes. Especially on the 7th hole (par 4), his second shot from 140 yards landed close to the hole, producing an 'eagle-like birdie' that energized him. After exchanging a birdie on the 10th hole (par 4) with a bogey on the 11th hole (par 3), he added two more birdies on the 12th and 14th holes, and finished on a high note with a birdie on the final 18th hole (par 5).

He boosted his tee shot fairway hit rate from 14.29% the previous day to 78.57%, generating momentum. His greens in regulation rate was 72.22%, and above all, his average of 1.54 putts per hole showcased his 'stingy putting.' It is interesting that Johnson, as the No.1 seed, is benefiting significantly from the 'strokes bonus' effect. This tournament applies differential strokes: 1st place gets 10-under-par, 2nd place 8-under-par, 3rd place 7-under-par, 4th place 6-under-par, 5th place 5-under-par, 6th to 10th place 4-under-par, 11th to 15th place 3-under-par, 16th to 20th place 2-under-par, 21st to 25th place 1-under-par, and 26th to 30th place even par.

Johnson won the first PO event, The Northern Trust, on the 24th, securing not only the PO No.1 spot but also the world No.1 ranking. Notably, he displayed tremendous firepower by shooting 11-under-par in the second round, achieving a massive 11-stroke victory. In the second event, the BMW Championship, he finished second after a playoff battle with Jon Rahm (Spain), adding a sense of redemption. This is a golden opportunity to claim his first-ever PO victory and simultaneously hit the '15 million dollar (1.78 billion KRW) jackpot.'

Im Sung-jae's iron shots faltered. After starting in 2nd place with a 6-under-par daily best the previous day, he collapsed early with three consecutive bogeys on holes 3 to 5. He barely got his first birdie on the 6th hole (par 5), but bogeyed again on the 11th hole (par 3), and steadied himself with a birdie on the 18th hole with '2-on 2-putt.' Defending champion Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) is tied for 9th place (8-under-par), and 'Hulk' Bryson DeChambeau (USA) is tied for 21st place (4-under-par).

Im Sung-jae shows a disappointed expression immediately after a chip shot on the 3rd hole of the third day of the Tour Championship. Atlanta, Georgia, USA - Photo by Getty Images / Multibits

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