Cameron Smith pushes past Dustin Johnson, secures lead at LIV Golf Invitational-Chicago

SUGAR GROVE, Ill. — Cameron Smith made a pair of 7-foot birdie putts to finish off his round of 4-under 68 and allow him to overtake Dustin Johnson going into the third and final day of the LIV Golf Invitational-Chicago.

As easy as Johnson made it look in the opening round, Saturday at Rich Harvest Farms was such a struggle that he shot over par for the first time in the 14 rounds he has played in the Saudi-funded series.

Johnson was lucky the deficit to Smith was only 2 shots. He came up well short of the green on the par-4 17th and had to make an 8-foot par putt, while Smith took the lead for the first time with his 7-foot birdie putt.

On their final hole at the par-5 18th, Johnson's approach took a hard hop over the green. After a free drop from the grandstand, he chipped weakly to 8 feet and missed his birdie putt. Smith was on the other side of the green, lagged a 60-footer to 7 feet and holed that for another birdie.

Smith was at 10-under 134.

They will be joined in the lead group Sunday by Peter Uihlein, the former U.S. Amateur champion who had the low round of the breezy day with a 66. That left Uihlein only 3 shots behind going into the last day.

Laurie Canter (68) and Charl Schwartzel (69), who won the first LIV Golf Invitational outside London, were 4 shots behind. The group 5 back included Lee Westwood, Charles Howell III and Bryson DeChambeau.

Smith won The Open at St. Andrews and made $2.5 million. A victory Sunday would be worth at least $4 million.

«It was tricky out there today,» Smith said. «I got a couple of breaks and DJ didn't quite make the putts he usually does.»

Phil Mickelson looked as though he might get a round under par until he made three bogeys in a four-hole stretch and shot 74 to fall 12