With stellar 68, Johnson rediscovers his Masters touch

Feeling like he did on that magical weekend at Augusta National, Zach Johnson made his first Open Championship cut in four tries on Friday. He followed it up Saturday with a superb bogey-free round and thinks he's still got a shot.

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (PA) -- Masters champion Zach Johnson has rediscovered the feeling he had when he won at Augusta in April after a 3-under-par third-round 68 at Carnoustie on Saturday.

If the 31-year-old Iowan was looking for omens, the fact he made his first cut at the Open Championship in four attempts was certainly a start. He built on that Saturday with a superb bogey-free round, opening with a birdie at the 406-yard first in an outward nine of 35.

He picked up further shots at the 13th and 14th, and then laid up at the fearsome 499-yard par-4 closing hole before chipping close to secure par and a round that left him 1 over for the tournament.

"It was good and solid. Early on it could have been a lot better, I missed a lot of putts but all in all I'm very pleased," said Johnson. "Hopefully I can keep the momentum going tomorrow. I am very pleased with my game and I hope I can maintain it. I hit the ball a lot more solid, the most solid for two weeks.

"That has similarities with Augusta and I had some of the same feelings (as at the Masters) today," he explained. "Execution -- that is what I did at Augusta on the back nine. I executed pretty much every shot.

"I just wanted to get myself into a position today to have the opportunity [to win]," he said. "Potentially, I am in that position."

Copyright 2007 PA Sport. All rights reserved.