OAKVILLE, Ont., July 29 (Reuters) - Dustin Johnson was zeroing in on his third PGA Tour title of the season, holding a three-shot lead over South Koreans Kim Whee and An Byeong-hun, when play was halted at a stormy Canadian Open on Sunday with the world number one on the ninth hole.
The final round began with a logjam at the top of the leaderboard with Johnson, An, Kim and Kevin Tway all sitting on 17 under and holding a four-shot advantage over the chasing pack.
With 18 PGA Tour wins and a pair of runner-up finishes at Glen Abbey, Johnson’s experience provided the edge as he wasted no time breaking free of the pack by collecting birdies on the first two holes while the three co-leaders, who are all chasing their first PGA Tour titles, picked up early bogeys.
With his challengers off to a shaky start Johnson seized control, opening up a three-shot lead through four holes.
The American’s charge stalled as he struggled with his putter and he had to settle for five consecutive pars before rolling in a 12-footer at the par-four eighth for his third birdie of the day.
Tway, whose father Bob Tway won the Canadian title in 2003, saw his chances of joining him as Canadian champion evaporate with a disastrous outward nine that featured three bogeys before he recorded his first birdie at the ninth to leave him five off the pace. (Editing by Clare Fallon)