MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Dustin Johnson wants to sharpen his game for the U.S. Open. Moving back to No. 1 in the world would just be a nice bonus because the only way he can do that before Shinnecock Hills is by winning the St. Jude Classic.
Johnson knows what he wants.
“I just want to win,” Johnson said.
Johnson shot 7-under 63 for his lowest round this year and grabbed a one-stroke lead Friday after 36 holes at the St. Jude Classic. He had four of his seven birdies and an eagle on his back nine for a 29 and finished with a 10-under 130 total.
Ryan Blaum and Andrew Putnam each shot 64 and were tied for second, and C.T. Pan (65) and Wesley Bryan (66) followed at 8 under.
Brandt Snedeker shot his best round this year with a 62 that was one stroke off the course record. He was at 7 under.
Seamus Power, who came in with a one-stroke lead, shot a 69 to reach 6 under. Defending U.S. Open champ Brooks Koepka (69) was at 5 under, and Phil Mickelson (70) was at 4 under.
Two-time defending champ Daniel Berger (71-141) missed the cut.
LPGA: Two-time champion Anna Nordqvist shot a 5-under 66 for a share of the first-round lead with Laura Diaz and Celine Herbin in the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Galloway, New Jersey.
Nordqvist won the 54-hole event in 2015 and 2016 on Stockton Seaview’s Bay Course and finished second last year. Teeing off in the afternoon when the wind was stronger, Nordqvist closed her bogey-free round with a birdie on the par-5 ninth.
Diaz, 43, made the field as an alternate. She played in the morning when the greens were smoother and the wind more benign.
Herbin birdied the final two holes.
Lydia Ko, In-Gee Chun and ANA Inspiration winner Pernilla Lindberg were at 67 with Sandra Gal, Su Oh, Beatriz Recari, Amy Yang and Wayne, New Jersey native Marina Alex.
Shanshan Feng, at No. 4 the top-ranked player in the field, shot 69.
TOUR CHAMPIONS: Bernhard Langer returned from a three-week break to shoot an 8-under 64 and take the first-round lead in the Principal Charity Classic at Des Moines, Iowa.
Langer closed the bogey-free round with a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th at Wakonda Club. Langer took the brief break in part to attend his son’s high school graduation.
Glen Day and Woody Austin were a stroke back, and defending champion Brandt Jobe was at 66 with Jerry Kelly, Tom Lehman and Doug Garwood.
CURTIS CUP: Lilia Vu and Kristen Gillman led the United States to a 4-2 lead over Britain and Ireland at Quaker Ridge in Scarsdale, New York.
The U.S. leads the series 28-8-3. It is trying to regain the cup after falling 111/2-81/2 in 2016 at Dun Laoghaire in Ireland.
After another day of four-ball and foursomes matches, the event will close Sunday with singles.
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