Zach Johnson fired a 6-under-par 64 to pull into a share of the Sanford International lead during second-round play on Saturday in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Johnson and Jay Jurecic, who posted a second-round 65 at Minnehaha Country Club, enter the final round at 7-under 133. The former Masters champ with more than $55 million in career earnings and the former schoolteacher with $5,641 in career earnings will share Sunday’s final pairing with Ben Crane.
Crane (64), Jamie Donaldson of Wales (66) and South Africa’s Retief Goosen (67) lurk one shot behind the leaders.
Johnson and Jurecic moved to the top, in part, by posting eagles at the par-5 No. 12 within minutes of each other. Crane, Donaldson and Goosen settled for birdies on the hole.
“I struck the ball awesome,” Johnson said. “I hit the middle of the face a lot today, especially off the tee.”
If Johnson prevails Sunday, then the 50-year-old will claim his fifth Champions title this season. If Jurecic prevails, he’ll become the 16th player in Champions history to win after earning a spot in a tournament via the open qualifier.
The Sanford represents just the fourth Champions start for the 56-year-old Jurecic, who didn’t pick up a club until he was 18. He closed the second round with a birdie that generated a big response from the gallery.
“That was probably the best feeling in golf I’ve had with the grandstands,” said Jurecic, who played tours in the Dakotas for 20 years. “To make that putt and finish strong like that was just a dream come true. It felt awesome.”
Goosen and Chad Campbell fired 67s to share the lead after the first round, but Goosen backed up slightly as he balanced five birdies with two bogeys. Campbell posted a 68 to drop into a tie for sixth with Mark Wilson at 5-under.
Michael Block, Ryan Armour and Australia’s Greg Chalmers, who aced the 17th hole on Saturday, sit another shot back at 4-under.