When Rory McIlroy jumped out to a 3-shot lead yesterday, I really did not think that anyone could get hot enough to run him down. But Jason Day, a 23-year-old Australian, is playing one of the all-time great stretches of golf at Augusta. He just rolled in a ridiculous putt on 5 for his third birdie of the day -- and his 11th birdie in his last 22 holes. So he has taken over the lead. Day and McIlroy are having their own little tournament, as no one is within three shots of them.
Tiger has started off with two bogeys and a birdie through six holes, and he has fallen into a tie for Low American with a group at six under.
1. J. Day (AUS): -11 (41 holes)
2. R. McIlroy (NIR): -10 (41)
T3. A. Scott (AUS): -7 (50)
T3. L. Donald (ENG): -7 (45)
T3. C. Schwartzel (RSA): -7 (44)
T3. K.J. Choi (KOR): -7 (42)
Day bogeys the par-three sixth to fall back into a tie with McIlroy at 10 under.
ReplyDeleteTiger just barely misses his putt for birdie on 7 -- the third straight hole where he came up just short.
ReplyDeleteAdam Scott rolls in a birdie putt with one of those silly long putters on 15. He is now 6 under for the day and 8 under for the tournament.
ReplyDeleteSomeone named Bo Van Pelt has birdied 8, 11, 13, 15, and 16. He is now 7 under for the tournament and has taken over the role of Low American.
ReplyDeleteAfter charging into the lead, Day is suddenly having all kinds of trouble. He bogeyed six, and he is well short of the green with his second shot on the par-4 seven.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, McIlroy has hit a very pretty shot to the seventh green to set up a birdie putt.
Tiger, who desperately needs to birdie he par-5 8th, sends his second shot to the back fringe of the green. He will have a very difficult up and down to make four.
ReplyDeleteDay makes his second bogey in a row and drops back to 9 under.
ReplyDeleteMcIlroy's birdie putt on 7 looked good until the last second, when it swerved away. So he remains at 10 under.
ReplyDeleteAdam Scott and his silly long putter cannot save par on 16, and he falls back to 7 under.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to point out that Luke Donald (who is 7 under through 10), is dressed exactly like a church youth leader of from 1983: bright pink shirt and bright green pants. I keep waiting for him to tell the crowd that they'll be going to Dairy Queen after services.
ReplyDeleteTiger's chip on 8 rolls well past the hole, and he will have a very difficult birdie putt coming back.
ReplyDeleteChoi's eagle putt on 8 is quite good, and he will have a tap-in to get to 8 under.
ReplyDeleteTiger can't make the birdie putt. He takes his fourth par in a row and is still at six under.
ReplyDeleteChoi taps in his birdie and is all alone in third at 8 under.
Number 3 son was very excited to see Bo Van Pelt on the leaderboard. He thinks that Bo must be related to Charlie Brown's friends, Linus and Lucy.
ReplyDeleteOn the ninth hole, Tiger whangs his drive out a remarkable 342 yards. He has a little pitch up to a very tricky green.
ReplyDeleteTiger's pitch lands on an upward slope on the ninth green, and it rolls back to leave him a makeable birdie putt.
ReplyDeleteChoi also has a good chance for birdie on 9.
Adam Scott and his silly long putter knock in a short birdie putt on 17, and he moves back to 8 under.
ReplyDeleteMcIlroy and Day both take par on 8, and they will regret not making birdie on that hole.
ReplyDeleteChoi knocks in his putt for birdie, and he moves into a tie for second with Day at 9 under.
ReplyDeleteTiger looks over his downhill birdie putt at nine for a very, very long time. But he missed something, because his putt just drifts past on the right side of the hole. He goes out in 37, and he remains stuck at 6 under.
ReplyDeleteBo Van Pelt bogeys the 18th hole to finish with a 68 that leaves him at 6 under par. He falls back into a tie for Low American.
ReplyDeleteMcIlroy pitches onto the 9th green, and he will have a birdie putt very similar to the one that Tiger just missed.
ReplyDeleteDay follows up a 340-yard drive on nine with a pitch that skitters all the way to the back of the green. He will have a very difficult birdie putt.
Choi hits a somewhat indifferent second shot on 10 that skitters off the green. He will have a difficult up and down for par.
ReplyDeleteTiger has hit another enormous drive on 10, but his second shot lands on the wrong side of the green -- a long way from the hole.
ReplyDeleteDay and McIlroy miss their birdie putts on 9, but they both make par. Day is out in 35, McIlroy is out in 36.
ReplyDeleteAdam Scott can't reach the 18th green in two, and his silly long putter is unable to save his par. He finishes with a 67, and is at 7 under for the tournament.
ReplyDeleteChoi makes a great chip on 10, and Tiger makes a great long lag putt, and they should both save par.
ReplyDeleteChoi pars the 10th to stay 9 under. Woods pars the 10th to remain 6 under. They now move to the very difficult 11th hole.
ReplyDeleteDay's second shot on 10 ends up almost exactly where Tiger was, on the opposite side of the green from the hole.
ReplyDeleteMcIlroy bounces off the green, and he will be chipping all the way across.