Davis Love III might want to pay real close attention to Kevin Chappell.
After three days, he’s hung in there with the best player in the world and after three rounds at the Tour Championship, Dustin Johnson and Chappell have battled to an eight-under par stalemate at East Lake.
In a dramatic turn of events, Chappell birdied the 17th hole late Saturday and converted it into a three-shot swing. Johnson went into the hole nine-under for the tournament but an errant drive then a poor second would turn into a double-bogey six that opened the door for Chappell, who ran in a nine-foot birdie putt to actually take the lead away from Johnson.
Chappell went to eight-under par while Johnson surrendered the lead with the double.
At the 18th, D.J. squared it up when he hit a bunker shot inside five-feet and holed the putt for birdie to tie it up when Chappell failed the birdie that closing par five, setting up a head-to-head duel again with Johnson on Sunday.
Love, who has one pick left to round out the U.S. Ryder Cup team, has to be impressed with Chappell’s determination this week.
“I got nothing to lose,” said Chappell who has three seconds this season without a win and has never won on the PGA Tour. “I’m going to go out there and give it all I’ve got,” he said of the final 18. “It will come down to one or two shots (on Sunday),” he predicted.
As for Johnson, he had trouble on 17 for the second straight day. “I like my position,” he said after his closing birdie. “I need to go out tomorrow and do the same thing I did today and hopefully try to finish a little better.”
Johnson and Chappell can’t get caught up with each other. Rory McIlroy’s 66 pulled him within two of the lead along with the steady Ryan Moore, who also warrants Ryder Cup consideration.
Hideki Matsuyama’s 68 left him three back, Jason Dufner’s 66 got him to four-under.
