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Johnson has lead over three

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Dustin Johnson, known for length off the tee, showed off his precise ball-positioning and hot putter Saturday to take the RBC Heritage lead.

Johnson shot a 3-under 68 for a one-shot lead over Shane Lowry, Ian Poulter and Rory Sabbatini.

The top-ranked Johnson, a South Carolina native who had not played his home state’s only PGA Tour stop for nine years before returning in 2018, seems to have found a home on Harbour Town Golf Links’ narrow fairways and smallish greens. He had his sixth round in the 60s over the last two years to reach 10 under.

“I’m really enjoying playing in it,” Johnson said. “I really enjoyed playing in it last year after being away for so long. It’s something I look forward to now. We have a really big fan base here and growing up in South Carolina definitely helps.”

Lowry led the first 48 holes before making three bogeys on his final six holes in a 71. Poulter shot a 67, and Sabbatini had a 68.

Tour Champions

DULUTH, Ga. — Scott McCarron birdied the par-5 18th hole Saturday to take a three-stroke lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

The 53-year-old McCarron completed a 4-under 68 in the morning in the rain-delayed second round and shot a 70 in the afternoon to reach 6-under 138 at TPC Sugarloaf, the site of his last two PGA Tour titles.

“It was a grind all the way. It was a tough day again,” McCarron said. “The wind was up, it was very cold, tough to get the ball close. You can see with the scores. … The golf course is playing very difficult. And 2 under, I felt like I left a couple out there, but I also made a couple really good par saves, too.”

McCarron has eight victories on the 50-and-over tour. He won three times on the PGA Tour, taking the BellSouth Classic at the course in 1997 and 2001.

Rocco Mediate was second, following an opening 73 with a 68.

Miguel Angel Jimenez (70) was 2 under along with Kent Jones (68), Joe Durant (70) and Kirk Triplett (70). Jimenez, the 2014 winner, closed with a double bogey on 18.

Bernhard Langer was tied for 20th at 2 over after rounds of 77 and 69. The 61-year-old German star won the 2013 event and finished second four of the last five years. He won the Oasis Championship in February for his 39th Champions title.

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