Johnson heading for historic Shanghai win

World No.1 Dustin Johnson is on the verge of making golfing history after opening up a six-shot lead in the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.

World number one golfer Dustin Johnson lines up his shot.

Dustin Johnson goes into the final round of the HSBC Championship with a six-shot lead. (AAP)

Dustin Johnson has shot a four-under 68 in blustery conditions, building a six-shot lead in the HSBC Champions and leaving him one round away from being the first player to win three World Golf Championships in the same year.

He had plenty of help from Brooks Koepka on Saturday. They were tied for the lead through seven holes until a four-shot swing on the par-five eighth.

Koepka drove into the hazard off the tee and found the hazard again on his approach to the green.

He missed a six-foot putt and took a triple-bogey eight.

Johnson smashed his drive over the trees and into the fairway and with a thick splotch of mud on his ball, he sent that into the left rough above the green.

He hit a flop shot to 15 feet and holed it for birdie.

Just like that, his lead was four shots, and no one got any closer the rest of the way.

Johnson was at 17-under. Koepka hit into the water from a bunker on the par-five closing hole at Sheshan International and had to make a six-footer to save bogey.

That gave him a 73, leaving him six shots behind.

Henrik Stenson shot 69 and was at 10 under.

Jason Day is the leading Australian at 18 off the pace after a round of 72 followed by Adam Scott (74) and Marc Leishman (68), who are two over.

Even with more wind anticipated on Sunday, the tournament was turning into another exhibition for the world's No.1 player.

"I'm in a good position going into tomorrow," Johnson said.

"But I'm still going to have to go out and play a really solid round if I want to get it done."

Johnson this year won the WGC-Mexico Championship and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Texas.

Not even Tiger Woods with his 18 titles in the World Golf Championships won more than two in one year.

Johnson already has five such titles. He won the HSBC Champions four years ago.

"If Dustin keeps on playing the way that he's done this week, I think it's going to be a one-man show tomorrow," Stenson said.

"But you never know. Tough wind and this golf course has a couple of holes where you can certainly have a number. It's never over until it's over."


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Source: AAP



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Johnson heading for historic Shanghai win | SBS News