Golf-Big-hitting Johnson and big Open layout have major match

By Steve Keating UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington, June 19 (Reuters) - One of the longest layouts ever to host a golf major, Chambers Bay was made for big-hitting American Dustin Johnson who has muscled his way into contention at this week's U.S. Open. Boasting the three longest par-fours ever seen at a U.S. Open, the links-style course has brought some of golf's biggest names to their knees, including 14-time major winner Tiger Woods, defending champion Martin Kaymer and Players championship winner Rickie Fowler who all missed the cut on Friday. Johnson, meanwhile, has spent two days at or near the top of the leaderboard with a remarkable display of power from the tee and a deft touch around the slick, undulating greens. The 30-year-old American, who was tied for the first-round lead with Swede Henrik Stenson, looked ready to remain on top as opened up a two-shot cushion as the sun set into Puget Sound. But power not used properly can create trouble and Johnson found plenty of that on the closing stretch with three bogeys in his final five holes, including 17 and 18, for a one-over 71 to sit one back of co-leaders Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. "I thought I played pretty well today. It played really difficult," said Johnson. "When I got into trouble, I felt I hit good shots and got myself out of it. "I missed quite a few short birdie putts. It's just sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't." After taking a six-month leave of absence from the PGA Tour last year to seek help with "personal challenges", Johnson made a storming return to the circuit in February at Torrey Pines. Shaking off the rust from his long layoff, Johnson missed the cut in his first tournament back, at the Farmers Insurance Open, but has since gone on to post six top-10 finishes, including a win at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March. Despite personal issues, Johnson has clinched at least one PGA Tour title in each of the last seven seasons and now engaged to Paulina Gretzky, who gave birth to their first child in January, he finds himself in a good place on and off the course. "Yeah, I like where I'm at. Still got 36 holes of golf, a lot can happen," said Johnson ,looking ahead to the weekend. "One back going into tomorrow, that's fine with me." Johnson knows better than most the trouble that lurks around every corner at a major. At the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, he squandered a three-shot lead in the final round, slumping to an 82. That same year in the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Johnson was slapped a two-stroke penalty for grounding his club in a waste bunker on the 18th hole to miss out on a playoff for the trophy with Kaymer and Bubba Watson. (Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)