WASHINGTON: Dustin Johnson's path to the biggest payday in golf got more complicated on Saturday as a third-round 69 left him tied for the lead with Kevin Chappell at the USPGA Tour Championship.
The second-ranked American had led by four shots after his third straight birdie at the sixth hole at East Lake in Atlanta, Georgia.
But he fell a stroke behind Chappell with a double-bogey at the 17th before regaining a share of the lead with a birdie at the par-five finishing hole.
Chappell, meanwhile, was a model of consistency, and patience, with two birdies in his two-under 68 that left him level with Johnson eight-under par 202.
They were two strokes in front of Northern Ireland star Rory McIlroy and American Ryan Moore, who both carded four-under par 66 for 204.
Japan's Hideki Matsuyama was alone on 205 after a 68.
Johnson, who started the day with a one-stroke edge over Chappell, wasted no time in stretching his lead.
He slowed with a bogey at the seventh, and a birdie at 12 was followed by back-to-back bogeys at 13 and 14.
Johnson rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the par-three 15th, but his double bogey at 17, where he was twice in the rough and in a bunker, saw Chappell take the lead with a 10-foot birdie putt at the same hole.
It was Chappell's second birdie of the day. He'd ground out 11 straight pars before chipping in for birdie at the 12th -- a result that brought an emotional fist-pump from the American seeking his first US tour title.
Johnson, in contrast, is the hottest player on the tour right now, with three wins since June including his breakthrough major title at the US Open.
Johnson leads the FedExCup playoff standings, with a $10 million bonus on offer to the playoff points winner on Sunday.
The prize is Johnson's if he wins or finishes alone in second, but he's not the only one in contention.
McIlroy still has a shot, if he can win his first Tour Championship crown and Johnson falters.
"First and foremost I need to go out tomorrow and try to win the golf tournament," McIlroy said.
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