Day, Piercy share Bridgestone lead

AKRON, Ohio — Jason Day had no indication that Saturday at the Bridgestone Invitational would be such hard work until one swing.

His plan was to hit a draw with his driver, 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. “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.”

He hit only three fairways on a Firestone course that demands more, but still managed to turn that into a 1-under 69 to share the lead with Bonanza product Scott Piercy.

Piercy, coming off a runner-up finish in the U.S. Open two weeks ago at Oakmont, tied Day for the lead at 5-under 205, the highest 54-hole score at this World Golf Championship since 2007.

Only nine players remained under par, and given the firm conditions of Firestone, Day believes all of them have a chance.

David Lingmerth of Sweden had a 69 and was one shot behind. U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson shot a 66.

That was enough to Johnson get him to 2-under 208, three shots behind, along with Charl Schwartzel (67) and William McGirt (70).

FRENCH OPEN — At Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, France, Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand posted a 3-under round of 68 to move 8-under and take a two-shot 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 level with Jaidee and two other players overnight.

McIlroy’s third round was hugely erratic as the four-time major winner had six birdies, three bogeys and one double-bogey. He recovered to make five birdies on the back nine.

LPGA — At Portland, Ore., defending champion Brooke Henderson continued her mastery of Columbia Edgewater Country Club, shooting a 70 Saturday to take a twostroke lead after three rounds of the Cambia Portland Classic.

The 18-year-old Canadian was at 13-under 203 heading into Sunday’s final round. Henderson leads Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, who is 11-under after a 71.

Sweden’s Suzann Pettersen, tied for the lead with Henderson after the second round, faded to 9-under following a 74. Pettersen was the only player among the top 15 players who didn’t break par Saturday.

BARRACUDA — At Reno, Greg Chalmers birdied five of the final six holes to increase his lead to six points in the Barracuda Championship, the PGA Tour’s lone modified Stableford scoring event.

The 42-year-old Australian had seven birdies and a bogey for a 15-point round and 39-point total at Montreux in the scoring system that awards eight points for double eagle, five points for eagle, two points for birdie and deducts a point for bogey and three points for double bogey or worse.