Expert Picks: Waste Management Phoenix Open

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Led by former champion Dustin Johnson it was all systems go for a number of the regular season’s best players in the opening round at THE  NORTHERN TRUST. The marquee group of 20-time PGA TOUR winner Johnson, former PLAYERS and U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson and Spanish star Jon Rahm – playing together based on their FedExCup position – scorched Liberty National. With the TOUR Championship already secured the trio might have been wary of a little complacency slipping into their game but they needn’t have worried. Johnson – who finished seventh in the regular season – posted an impressive 8-under 63 to sit just one shot behind Troy Merritt’s early lead. Rahm, 10th in the regular season, opened with a 64 while Simpson (ninth) kickstarted his Playoff run with a round of 65. RELATED: What you need to know for FedExCup Playoffs | Woods starts slow | Merritt moves off bubble “Everything looked easy and we fed off each other. One of us was always close and we were trying to get it closer than the next person and making putts,â€� Rahm said of his group dynamic. “There was a good vibe in the group going on. It’s a little bit easier because the greens are so soft. Dustin finished with almost five in a row … We definitely fed off each other.â€� Johnson was the champion of THE NORTHERN TRUST in 2011 and 2017 on different courses. He wasn’t content with his start, heading straight to the range afterwards. Since having won the World Golf Championships – Mexico Championship in February and finishing runner-up at the Masters in April and the PGA Championship in May, Johnson’s results have trailed off. A pair of T-20s are his best in his last five starts. “I’ve been working pretty hard on my game the last month or so. Finally felt like it’s coming around. Obviously today was a really good score, but just want to make sure I keep it that way,â€� Johnson said of his decision to hit the practice range. “Any time you shoot 8 under, no matter what golf course, you know you did everything well. Today I drove it well and hit a lot of really good iron shots. Rolled the putter nicely. “Every Playoff event is big, and you really want to get off to a good start in any of them.â€� While not playing with the others Rory McIlroy – who is second in the FedExCup – also started hot with a 65 of his own. The quartet are looking to put pressure on FedExCup leader Brooks Koepka who opened with a relatively pedestrian 1-under 70. McIlroy had to watch Koepka go past him in the final round of the recent World Golf Championships – FedEx St. Jude Invitational but this time it was the American getting lapped by his playing partner. “You’ve got to expect the guys like DJ or Rahm or any of the guys that are in the top 10 of the standings are going to come and play well,â€� McIlroy said. “I’m pleased with the start. Bogeyed the first hole, which was the 10th, but played really well after that. Played 7 under from there on in with no bogeys. “I saw some better iron shots than I did in Memphis. I drove it just as good. I putted nicely. It’s so soft out there, you need to shoot low scores this week to have a chance … so just going to try to have to keep the foot down. “It’s definitely a golf course that you’re going to have to keep being aggressive on this week.â€� The player at the top of the standings following next week’s BMW Championship will start the TOUR Championship at 10 under. That player will have between a two and 10 shot lead over the field that is staggered based on FedExCup position. Any of the current top 10 is likely to project to top spot with a victory in New Jersey.

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