Zack Johnson Leads At Quail Hollow; Tiger Woods, Others In Hot Pursuit

The final three holes at the Quail Hollow Golf Club, better known as the "green mile,"  took a bite out of dozens of players' scorecards Saturday afternoon.

But not Zach Johnson’s.

Johnson, who bogeyed the 16th, 17th and 18th Friday afternoon, took his revenge on the course yesterday.

After a routine par at the 16th, Johnson came to the treacherous par-three 17th, where the pin was brutally placed just yards from the large lake lining the left side of the green.

Most players were taking the safe route Saturday by hitting seven- and eight-irons at the center of the green.

Johnson attempted to do the same, but his ball began to hook directly toward the pin.

As Johnson looked on intently, the ball landed left of the pin, one of the few to do so on the day. Luckily, it landed softly on the rock-hard, dried-out green and came to rest against the fringe.

He took advantage of his good fortune by sinking a 13-foot birdie putt.

Johnson’s playing partner, George McNeill, held one-stroke lead over Johnson when they came to the 17th.

McNeil was unable to two-putt from more than 40 feet, and following Johnson’s birdie McNeil’s lead fell to a one-stroke deficit.

While Johnson and McNeill were in the 18th fairway, the storms that had been ominously looming all afternoon hit Quail Hollow. Play was suspended.

After a 75-minute delay, Johnson calmly parred the 18th while the final stretch of the green mile took another bite out of McNeill’s scorecard. He bogeyed the 18th.

McNeill wasn’t the only leader to falter down the stretch on Saturday afternoon.

After a birdie at the par-five 15th, Woods had fought his way back to the top of the leader board alongside McNeill at 11-under-par.

Woods parred the 480-yard par-four 16th, which he had bogeyed Friday. He looked to be well on his way to a final pairing on Sunday afternoon.

At the 17th Woods attempted to take the safe route by hitting a seven-iron toward the center of the green.

He managed to avoid the lake but left himself with a 61-foot birdie putt from just off the right side of the green.

Woods was unable to two-putt from 61 feet and recorded a bogey.

Then, after a perfect drive at the 18th, he hit a seven-iron clear over the green and ended with another bogey.

Similar to what happened at Augusta a few weeks ago, Woods has now bogeyed the 18th two out of the last three days, costing him two strokes.

Holding a two-stroke lead after 54-holes, Johnson will be looking for his second win of the season.

Johnson will be in today’s final pairing with Lucus Glover. Woods and McNeill will tee off 10 minutes earlier.

With some rain expected overnight, the greens should be a lot more receptive today than the dried-out billiard tables players were hitting into Saturday afternoon.

With softer greens and 12 players within four strokes of the lead, Johnson will not have the luxury of sitting on his two-stroke advantage this afternoon.

The likes of Woods, Goosen, O’Hair, Toms, Glover and McNeill are sure to be in hot pursuit.

But being a five-time PGA Tour winner and former Masters champion, Zach Johnson knows a thing or two about closing out a golf tournament.