LEMONT, Illinois – Dustin Johnson won the BMW Championship on Sunday and eased a summer of final round disappointments.
Playing in the final group for the fourth time since June, Johnson blasted a tee shot over the trees and into the fairway on the 17th hole at Cog Hill to set up a tap-in birdie and the outright lead. He closed with a 2-under 69 and a one-shot victory over Paul Casey.
It was the second victory this year for Johnson, a 26-year-old American who has quickly emerged as one of golf’s rising stars. And it helped ease the sting of lost chances in three other tournaments, including two majors.
He blew a three-shot lead at the US Open. He made up a three-shot deficit at the PGA Championship, only to lose a one-shot lead on the final hole when he didn’t realize he was in a bunker and grounded his club.
Johnson was flawless to the very end on the back nine Sunday.
He moved to No. 2 in the FedEx Cup standings, giving him a clear shot at the $10 million bonus in two weeks at the Tour Championship.
One player he won’t have to beat at East Lake is Tiger Woods. The world’s No. 1 player sputtered at the start and shot 70 to tie for 15th, not nearly enough to move into the top 30 in the standings and advance to the FedEx Cup finale.