IT’S DAYLIGHT BETWEEN THEM
JASON DAY has been playing golf against Jordan Spieth long enough to know the only time a seven- stroke lead is enough to beat him is on the last hole of a Sunday.
Otherwise? It pays to keep adjusting the rear- view mirror.
Day laughed off the prospect of Spieth being out of Australian Open contention after a day of mixed fortunes for the marquee stars at The Australian.
Day continued his good form by shooting a 68, which sees him sitting at eight under and in second place behind outright leader Lucas Herbert, on nine under.
Spieth finished the day in a share of 19th after struggling again through his round. Aiming to pick up shots in the calmer morning conditions, Spieth’s charge never eventuated and he could only manage to card a par- 71 round.
First- round leader Cameron Davis slipped back to third, at seven under. Spieth is eight shots off the lead but when asked if that was enough to keep the Texan at bay, Day grinned: “We’ve got two days left, so no, it’s not enough.
“It’s Jordan Spieth, he hits it obviously solid. If he gets something going on the weekend he can hole a lot of putts and make a lot of birdies and make a charge, and usually he does make a charge on the weekend.
“Seven strokes is obviously not enough but I’d like to keep pushing forward and hopefully I don’t see him in my rear- view mirror at all.”
That was the optimistic view of Spieth, too, who believes he’s still every chance to win a third Australian Open in four years.
Admitting his game felt off from the moment he warmed up, Spieth said his short game was “rusty” and letting him down. A few tentative early putts set the tone for the day; he ended up having 33 putts.
But on a course where he shot 63 in the final round to win in 2014, Spieth said he was looking forward to his early tee time today.
“On this golf course, more than just about any we play, I feel like you can make up more ground. You can come from behind here, over any tournament I think I have played this entire year,” he said. “I will have a pretty gettable golf course in the morning tomorrow, with the guys really having to watch themselves in the afternoon. If I can post something like five or six under then I am very much in this tournament.”
Day proved his class by bagging seven birdies in the afternoon wind, and co- led the tournament before dropping a shot on the 17th.
Just as Rory McIlroy did in 2013, Day is hoping to use the Australian Open to break a year- long victory drought.
“This would be a nice little end of the year cap, just to know that it wasn’t such a disappointing year,” Day said.
“I think it would just be good for me if I can somehow get the win this week.
“It would be a good kickstart going to next year’s season, back on the PGA Tour.”