Dustin Johnson outduels Jordan Spieth in thrilling final round to win playoff opener

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. — Dustin Johnson doesn’t do panic.

Despite falling five shots behind Jordan Spieth after five holes Sunday in the Northern Trust, the world No. 1 never lost his swagger and never sped up his slow saunter around Glen Oaks Club despite pressure mounting with each passing hole on the back nine.

The seemingly insurmountable deficit was wiped clean in five holes, with Johnson making two birdies and Spieth finding water on the sixth hole for a double-bogey and then making another bogey on the ninth. From the 11th on, Johnson outdueled Spieth and won the opener of the FedExCup Playoffs with two great performances on the final hole.

On the 72nd hole, Johnson, facing a make-or-lose situation, buried an 18-footer for par to force a playoff, and then claimed the hardware on the first extra hole when he unleashed the longest drive on the 18th all week — a 341-yarder that easily cleared the lake — and then struck a 60-degree wedge to 3 feet and made the putt to win.

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Johnson, who closed with a bogey-free, 4-under 66 to finish at 13 under, birdied the 13th and 15th holes and never made a bogey all week on the back nine. The win was his fourth of the season and 16th of his career, and he’s completely healed from the back injury he suffered on the eve of the Masters.

"It was a tough day," Johnson said. "Jordan is a tough competitor. He played really well all day. I felt like I played really good today. Just the front nine, I could not hole a putt. I hit really good putts the whole time, just burning the edges all day. It was nice in the playoff, the wind kind of switched and I could cover the water. It was a little bit easier coming in with a 60-degree on 18.

"I feel like the game is finally back in form like it was leading into the Masters. I feel like I'm swinging everything really well. Got a lot of control over the golf ball. I'm feeling really good. Obviously getting the win here today gives me a lot of confidence going into next week and the rest of the playoffs."

Spieth, who closed with a 69, held a three-shot lead at the start of the day and made birdies on the third and fifth holes to extend his advantage to five. But his mid-iron on the sixth hole came up short and landed in the water and gave Johnson hope. Spieth played a superb back nine, with birdies on the 13th and 14th, a clutch par from 17 feet on the 17th and a great two-putt from 75 feet on the 18th. Despite falling short of winning his fourth PGA Tour title this year, the reigning British Open champion was far from distraught.

"I didn't lose the tournament. He won it," Spieth said. "I played well. Game feels good. And I recognized a couple tendencies that I got into my swing towards the end of the round that prevented me from hitting great iron shots like I did before, so I know what to work on.

"But I feel great about my game. I had two great putting days. I had one bad putting day and one very average day. Just get the putting more consistent. But it's very difficult holding a lead on a difficult golf course when the guy you're playing with goes bogey-free and doesn't even really sniff a bogey and shoots 4-under. You know, hats off to DJ. But no surprise, either."

Jon Rahm got within one shot of the leaders with a birdie on the 13th, but fell back and finished with a 68 and in a tie for third four shots back behind the leaders. He shared third with Jhonattan Vegas, who closed with a 65.

Defending FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy was never a factor, finishing at 2 over and in a tie for 34th.

"My game isn't where it needs to be," said the four-time major champion, who has battled a persistent rib injury and is winless this year. "My battling qualities, that's all I really have right now. Sort of a little inconsistent with my swing and sort of with everything else. Just a matter of trying to go out there and put the best possible rounds together and see where that leaves me."

The win left Johnson with the lead in the FedExCup Playoffs. And it boosted his confidence after a long battle with a bad back.

"It’s been a tough road to get back to where I can compete again," he said. "This is the first week I felt my game was back to where it was before the Masters. ... That back nine was a lot of fun. It was a great battle. And it was fun to be in the hunt again, and see my game hold up."

Follow Steve DiMeglio on Twitter @Steve_DiMeglio.