Johnson in contention heading into Sunday

Dustin Johnson is where he hoped to be heading into Sunday: in contention.

On an afternoon where conditions picked apart some of the world’s best, Johnson’s scorecard remained relatively clean – two bogeys, two birdies – en route to a third-round 72. He’ll enter Sunday’s final round at even par.

“Standing on the first tee I would’ve taken 18 pars and sat in the clubhouse all day,” Johnson said. “I’m happy with the way I played.”

Johnson tied for sixth in the 2015 Masters Tournament and seems poised to improve a year later. The 31-year-old, however, knows he’ll have to convert more opportunities Sunday.

On moving day at the Masters, Johnson stayed planted – mostly because of missed chances on Nos. 9, 10 and 12.

“I hit a lot of good putts that didn’t go in the hole,” Johnson said. “But at the same time I’m not frustrated. I hit the putts where I wanted and they just didn’t fall.”

After a birdie on No. 3, Johnson had nine-consecutive pars before another birdie on 13. Johnson bogeyed Nos. 1 and 17 to shoot 72.

“I just have to keep giving myself chances,” Johnson said. “Got to keep hitting it on the right side of the hole and get looks. I tried to keep my stress down as much as possible because you don’t want to be grinding over pars all day.”

At Nos. 1 and 17, Johnson failed to get up-and-down from the sand. On his final hole, Johnson again found a bunker but blasted out to within three feet to salvage par.

“That was really big,” Johnson said of his save on 18. “Especially after making bogey at 17, to not drop another one was very important.”

A day after birdieing all four par-5s, Johnson capitalized only once on those holes Saturday. The birdie came at No. 13.

“On a day like today, playing those holes in 1-under is OK,” Johnson said. “On No. 2, I was in the middle of the fairway but hit a terrible second shot. … Like I said, I just have to keep giving myself looks. On Sunday, going to No. 10, you just want a chance to win.”