Following 67 in rain, Day likes his chances
Jason Day shook his head vigorously after holing an 11footer for birdie on his ninth hole Friday — not out of disgust, but to whip the excess water off his cap. For the rest of the round, Day shed the hat entirely.
Day was willing to do whatever it took to get through a wet day in the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship in Potomac, Md.
Day expected a grind and got one, shooting a 3-under-par 67 in steady rain to expand his lead to three shots. Going for his first victory in four years, the former No. 1 player was at 10-under 130 through two rounds and relished the chance to relax and watch the rest of the field try to stay dry.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Day said. “It’s nice to be back in the mix, nice to be leading. It’s still two more days left, so I can’t get too far ahead of myself.”
Rain was expected the rest of the day, with more rain, unseasonable cold and stronger wind
Saturday and even colder temperatures Sunday.
Day got a tip from playing partner Max Homa, who was his closest pursuer after a 66. Homa told Day he flinched because water dripped from the bill of his cap onto his putter, causing him to ram his birdie putt 6 feet by on the par-4 18th. Homa tossed the hat to caddie Joe Greiner before making the comebacker.
Day played his second nine holes hatless, a rare sight on the PGA Tour.
“I mean, not many times you see this hair, but hopefully this weather can kind of go away and we can have hats on for the weekend,” he said.
Day and Homa were grouped with Rickie Fowler, all past Wells Fargo champions at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, N.C. The tournament is making a one-and-done appearance at TPC Potomac because its usual venue is hosting the Presidents Cup in September.
European tour: Germany’s Hurly Long used five birdies in a six-hole span to shoot 4-under 68 and improve to 9-under, good for a one-shot lead in the British Masters in Sutton Coldfield, England.
Scotland’s Richie Ramsay, Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen and Sweden’s Marcus Kinhalt were tied for second.
“The game is good, and I know that if I play the way I can play, that I can compete out here,” Long, a Texas Tech alum, told europeantour.com. “So I’m certainly not scared to do well. I think that’s something I’ve learned over time and I’m just enjoying it.”
PGA Tour Champions: In Duluth, Ga., David Toms ran off three consecutive birdies after a rain delay and closed with a short birdie when he judged the wind right, giving him a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead with Ken Duke after one round of the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.
Steve Stricker, in his second PGA Tour Champions tournament after being out six months recovering from an illness that caused him to lose 25 pounds, was in a group at 68.