The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Day battles to stay on top at Bay Hill
Grinds out 2-under 70 despite rain, keeps 2-shot edge.
The words Jason Day has used all week at Bay Hill are what he gets from Tiger Woods whenever they talk about playing with the lead.
Patience. Aggression. Extend the lead. And if you’re not on your game, just post a good score.
It carried Day to a 2-under 70 in rough weather Saturday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, giving him a two-shot lead and one more day to show he’s a quick study. He has won the past three times he had at least a share of the 54-hole lead.
“It’s a different pressure, but it’s a good, uncomfortable feeling that I’ve always talked about, that I always want in my career,” Day said.
It wasn’t easy Saturday, even though tee times were moved forward because of a forecast of storms in the afternoon. That didn’t keep the rain from showing up, occasionally heavy, or for the temperatures to fluctuate and the wind to swirl.
Henrik Stenson caught up and briefly passed Day. Troy Merritt and Kevin Chappell hung around.
“I felt like I couldn’t get any momentum, especially with the umbrella up and down, the rain gear on and off,” Day said. “All that said, I feel like I stayed patient to ground out a 2 under par.”
Day finished at 15-under 201, two shots clear of Stenson (70), Merritt (67) and Chappell (67).
Day will be in the final group with Merritt, who won for the first time on the PGA Tour last year at the Quicken Loans National by three shots over Rickie Fowler. Stenson will be in the penultimate group with Chappell, who is playing his 150th PGA Tour event and still trying to win.
Justin Rose (71) and Derek Fathauer (69) were four shots behind and still capable of a rally. No one else was closer than five.
Adam Scott, coming off back-to-back victories on the Florida swing, was trying to at least give himself a chance when he was 9 under playing the 18th. He went into the water with his second shot and made triple bogey, posting a 70 to fall nine shots behind.
LPGA Tour: Sei Young Kim stumbled late Saturday afternoon in the JTBC Founders Cup in Phoenix, handing the lead to EunHee Ji and putting Stacy Lewis, Lydia Ko and many others in far better position than they expected.
Three strokes ahead after an eagle on the par4 13th, Kim bogeyed the par-4 16th and par-3 17th and finished with a 2-under 70 to drop into a tie for second with Lewis — a stroke behind Ji.
Champions Tour: Scott Verplank shot his second straight 6-under 66 to take the second-round lead in the Tucson (Ariz.) Conquistadores Classic. Jim Carter and Wes Short Jr. were a stroke back. The 54-yearold Carter shot a 63.
European Tour: SSP Chawrasia leads the Indian Open by two shots after a flawless thirdround 68.
Nuggets 101, (at) Hornets 93: D.J. Augustin scored 24 points as Denver cooled off Charlotte.
Thunder 115, (at) Pacers 111: Russell Westbrook had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists, and Kevin Durant had 33 points as Oklahoma City overcame Paul George’s 45 points.
(At) Pistons 115, Nets 103: Aron Baynes scored 17 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for Detroit.
(At) Wizards 99, Knicks 89: John Wall had 24 points and 10 assists as Washington rallied from an 18-point deficit.
(At) Heat 122, Cavaliers 101: Dwyane Wade scored 24 points and surpassed 20,000 for his career as LeBron James fell to 0-3 in Miami since his return to Cleveland.
(At) Hawks 109, Rockets 97: Al Horford scored 22 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 20 for Atlanta.
(At) Bulls 92, Jazz 85: Derrick Rose scored 22 as Chicago snapped Utah’s four-game winning streak and held onto the final playoff spot in the East.
(At) Grizzlies 113, Clippers 102: Zach Randolph led Memphis with 28 points and 11 rebounds. NBA notes
Grizzlies: Forward Matt Barnes missed Saturday’s game after the NBA suspended him one game, saying he tried to enter Milwaukee’s locker room and challenge Bucks forward John Henson after both were ejected Thursday.
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