KAPALUA, Hawaii – On Thursday, Dustin Johnson withdrew from the Hyundai Tournament of Champions pro-am due to lingering neck soreness. Two days later, the defending champion found himself in contention once again, trailing by three strokes entering the final 36 holes.
“It’s not affecting me at all,” he reported after a second-round 66. “It’s going away. I just tweaked a muscle a little bit, so resting and it’s good to go. It was a little sore, but it’s not anymore. It’s fine.”
Johnson birdied half of the holes on the Plantation Course during Saturday’s round, which followed an opening 70.
“This golf course sets up well for me,” he said. “I can reach all the par 5s and there’s a few short holes where you can drive it up close to the green. So if I chip it and putt it well, I’m going to shoot a good score pretty much every time.”
Johnson will play alongside leader Zach Johnson in the final pairing during Sunday’s third round.