Rolling downhill
Bad shots send Day into tie for lead at Bridgestone Invite
AKRON, Ohio — Jason Day had no indication Saturday at the Bridgestone Invitational would be such hard work until one swing.
His plan was to hit a draw with his driver on No. 8, and the shot started out to the right. Trouble is, it kept going to the right until he was deep in the trees.
“That came out of nowhere,” Day said. “It wasn’t just down the right. It was way right. I think it’s more of a mental thing when it comes to those ones because when you’re sharp and you’re on your game and you’re hitting it great, you don’t miss them that far.”
It didn’t help he missed again on the next hole. And then the next one. Or that he hit only three fairways on a Firestone course that demands more.
Day still managed to turn that into a 1-under-par 69 to share the lead with Scott Piercy.
“I felt like Mr. Haverkamp out of ‘Caddyshack’ trying to find his golf ball and not knowing where the golf hole goes,” Day said.
But he could find the bottom of the cup, including three par putts of at least eight feet.
Piercy, coming off a runner-up finish in the U.S. Open two weeks ago at Oakmont, quickly tied Day for the lead with an eagle on the par-5 No. 2 and was flawless until the final hole. He had a one-shot lead until pulling his tee shot into the left rough, running a low shot through the green and into a back bunker, and having to scramble just to escape with a bogey and a 67.
They were at 5-under 205, the highest 54-hole score at this World Golf Championship event since 2007.
Only nine players remained under par, and given the firm conditions of Firestone, Day thinks all of them have a chance.
David Lingmerth of Sweden had a 69 and was one shot behind. The big move of the day belonged to U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, who hits it a long way and has a short memory.
After warming up on the range, Johnson said he was ready for a great round of golf, adding “I’m due.” The smile suggested he did recall he played decently at Oakmont two weeks ago.
Johnson was 5 under through 11 holes and closing in on the lead when he played the final seven holes in 1 over for a 66. Still, that was enough to get him to 2-under 208, three shots behind, along with Charl Schwartzel (67) and William McGirt (70).
Justin Thomas and Emiliano Grillo, buddies from their junior golf days, were another shot back. Thomas was in better position until his wedge shot found the water on the par-5 No. 16, and his fifth shot after a penalty drop almost went in for a par. Thomas then missed a four-foot putt for double bogey.
The 16th also got the best of Jordan Spieth in a big way.
Spieth was starting to make putts when he debated whether to hit 3-wood on the 654-yard hole, thinking he could keep it away from the water and try to make his birdie from the rough. He played it smartly instead by laying up, only it didn’t quite work out that way.
His third shot came up just short and into the water. His next shot went over the green and he couldn’t get up-anddown, making triple bogey.
Spieth said his caddie talked him out of the 3-wood, and he agreed.
“The big number only comes into play with a 3-wood,” he said. “It really was the right decision. It’s just funny how we talked about it like that.”
Spieth had another 71 and was five shots behind.
Day opened with a 20-foot birdie putt. He added a short birdie on No. 6. A three-putt bogey on No. 7 was a nuisance. Then came the drive on No. 8.
Baylor School graduate Harris English had a 4-over 74 and is tied for 33rd place overall at 6-over 216.
Henderson leads in Portland by two
PORTLAND, Ore. — Defending champion Brooke Henderson continued her mastery of Columbia Edgewater Country Club, shooting a 70 to take a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Cambia Portland Classic.
The 18-year-old Canadian, who claimed her first LPGA Tour win a year ago in Portland, was at 13-under 203 heading into today’s final round. Henderson leads Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, who is 11 under after a 71.
Jaidee is two shots clear of McIlroy, Wang at French Open
SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — Thongchai Jaidee posted a 3-under 68 to move to 8 under and take a twoshot lead heading into the final round of the French Open.
Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy and South Korea’s Wang Jeung-hun posted 1-under 70s, having been tied with Jaidee and two other players overnight.