A huge storm blew through Whistling Straits yesterday afternoon, delaying the conclusion of the second round until this morning. When the second round finally ended, the chances for an American sweep of all four majors did not look good. The big story was Matt Jones -- who has never finished better than a tie for 30th in any major, but who seems to have figured something out. The second biggest story was Jason Day, who is surely due to win a major one of these days. The third biggest story is Jordan Spieth, who put up a lovely 67 yesterday, and is rocking a pink shirt today:
1. M. Jones (AUS): -11 (68+65=133)
2. J. Day (AUS): -9 (68+67=135)
3. J. Rose (ENG): -8 (69+67=136)
T4. T. Finau: -7 (71+66=137)
T4. A. Lahiri (IND): -7 (70+67=137)
T4. D. Lingmerth (SWE): -7 (67+70=137)
T7. S. Piercy: -6 (68+70=138)
T7. J. Spieth: -6 (71+67=138)
T7. B. Steele: -6 (69+69=138)
T10. G. Coetzee (RSA): -5 (74+65=139)
T10. H. English: -5 (68+71=139)
T10. R. Henley: -5 (67+71=139)
T10. J.B. Holmes: -5 (68+71=139)
T10. D. Johnson: -5 (66+73=139)
Whistling Straits is what Chambers Bay could have been -- a beautiful, modern golf course that takes full advantage of its majestic position on the water without relying on cheap gimmicks to defend par. I know people who have happily flown from D.C. to Wisconsin to play Whistling Straits. I wouldn't walk across the street to play Chambers Bay.
ReplyDeleteMcIlroy went 71+71=142 (2 under par) for the first two days. So far today, he is 4 under par through 5 holes, and he is now 6 under for the tournament.
ReplyDeleteok great jim nantz cuts away from the opening drive of campbellsville j.b. holmes in order to show a dustin johnson "major letdowns" feature. thanks a lot, nantz.
ReplyDeleteyeah! jordan Spieth baby!
ReplyDeleteMcIlroy has now taken two bogeys, and he is now 4 under for the tournament -- 7 shots off the lead.
ReplyDeleteBoo Weekly, a big hero for the United States at the 2008 Ryder Cup, shoots a 65(!) and is now 7 under par for the Tournament.
ReplyDeleteSpieth birdies the first hole and is also 7 under par for the Tournament.
ReplyDeleteLeaderboard:
ReplyDelete1. M. Jones (AUS): -11 (36 holes)
2. J. Day (AUS): -9 (36)
T3. A. Lahiri (IND): -8 (37)
T3. J. Rose (ENG): -8 (36)
Jones and Day each birdie the first hole:
ReplyDelete1. M. Jones (AUS): -12 (37 holes)
2. J. Day (AUS): -10 (37)
T3. A. Lahiri (IND): -9 (38)
T3. J. Rose (ENG): -9 (37)
I'm done with every conversation about the health of a sport. I just don't care.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree. It's not my money.
DeleteSpieth isn't getting anywhere -- he's still at 7 under through 7. But Branden Grace, our old friend from Chambers Bay, is on the charge -- he is 5 under through 12 holes today.
ReplyDeleteLeaderboard:
1. M. Jones (AUS): -12 (40 holes)
T2. B. Grace (RSA): -9 (48)
T2. T. Finau: -9 (41)
T2. A. Lahiri (IND): -9 (41)
T2. J. Day (AUS): -9 (40)
Until today, I had never heard of Tony Finau or Anirban Lahiri.
If your league or association or tour or whatever is having a competition that interests me at this moment, then the health of it is good enough for me right now.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as you stop talking about the competition and instead want to talk to me about the general health of the whole sport, I'm quickly losing interest.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree.
DeleteMatt Jones continues to play spectacular golf, and his birdie on 6 gives him a 3-shot lead. But note the charge of Martin Kaymer, who won the PGA here back in 2010:
ReplyDelete1. M. Jones (AUS): -13 (42 holes)
T2. B. Grace (RSA): -10 (50)
T2. T. Finau: -10 (43)
T2. J. Day (AUS): -10 (42)
5. M. Kaymer (GER): -9 (50)
Meanwhile, Tony Finau birdies the 9th hole. It is his fourth birdie of the day. He's out in 32, and he is now all alone in second place at 11 under.
ReplyDeleteJones hits his drive on the par-4 9th into the concession area. He makes a brave approach shot from the carpet in front of the concession buildings, over a fence, down a hill, and close to the green. He also thrilled all the folks who happened to be buying concessions at the time. But he cannot save par, and takes his first bogey of the day. He's out in 35, and 12 under par for the tournament.
ReplyDeleteLeaderboard:
ReplyDelete1. M. Jones (AUS): -12 (45 holes)
T2. M. Kaymer (GER): -11 (53)
T2. B. Grace (RSA): -11 (53)
T2. T. Finau: -11 (46)
T2. J. Day (AUS): -11 (45)
And now Finau rolls in a birdie to move to 12 under par, and for the first time today, Jones has to share the lead.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Jordan Spieth birdies 11 and 12 to move to 9 under par.
ReplyDeleteLeaderboard:
T1. T. Finau: -12 (47 holes)
T1. M. Jones (AUS): -12 (45)
T3. M. Kaymer (GER): -11 (53)
T3. B. Grace (RSA): -11 (53)
T3. J. Day (AUS): -11 (45)
Oh, my! Branden Grace HOLES OUT from a bunker on the 18th green. That birdie gives him a 64(!), and he is now tied for the lead at 12 under par.
ReplyDeleteKaymer cannot match Grace's birdie, so he settles for a 65 that leaves him at 11 under par.
ReplyDeleteDay birdies the 10th hole, and moves to 12 under.
And now Day EAGLES the 11th hole, and he's in the lead by himself at 14 under par.
ReplyDeleteLeaderboard (notice that Justin Rose has fought his way back into contention):
ReplyDelete1. J. Day (AUS): -14 (47 holes)
2. M. Jones (AUS): -13 (47)
T3. B. Grace (RSA): -12 (54)
T3. T. Finau: -12 (48)
T5. M. Kaymer (GER): -11 (54)
T5. J. Rose (ENG): -11 (48)
Day, who has come so close in so many majors, is now tearing Whistling Straits apart. He birdies the 13th hole, and moves to 15 under par -- two shots clear of the field.
ReplyDeleteLeaderboard:
ReplyDelete1. J. Day (AUS): -15 (49 holes)
2. M. Jones (AUS): -13 (49)
T3. B. Grace (RSA): -12 (54)
T3. T. Finau: -12 (50)
T3. J. Rose (ENG): -12 (50)
Matt Jones, who is playing great, birdies the 14th hole to move to 14 under par. Jones is 3 under for the day. But Jason Day is now SEVEN under for the day, and 16 under for the tournament, as he makes yet another birdie. This is a spectacular round.
ReplyDeleteSpieth birdies the 16th hole to move to 11 under par -- but he's still 5 shots behind Day.
ReplyDeleteThe Guardian points out that Day has now carded SIX 3's in a row.
ReplyDeleteLeaderboard:
1. J. Day (AUS): -16 (50 holes)
2. M. Jones (AUS): -14 (50)
T3. B. Grace (RSA): -12 (54)
T3. T. Finau: -12 (51)
T3. J. Rose (ENG): -12 (50)
Suddenly Jason Day is in all kinds of trouble. He and Jones both find problems at the par-4 15th. Jones takes a bogey, but Day takes a DOUBLE BOGEY, and now he's back to 14 under.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, Spieth has birdied the 17th hole. And now he's only two shots behind Day.
Day's double bogey resulted from hitting his second shot into a bunker, and then leaving the ball in the bunker on his third shot.
ReplyDeleteDay recovers quickly, and whacks his drive on the par-5 16th straight down the middle.
ReplyDeleteLeaderboard:
ReplyDelete1. J. Day (AUS): -14 (51 holes)
2. M. Jones (AUS): -13 (51)
T3. B. Grace (RSA): -12 (54)
T3. J. Spieth: -12 (53)
T3. T. Finau: -12 (52)
T3. J. Rose (ENG): -12 (51)
Rose birdies the 16th hole, and moves to 13 under par.
ReplyDeleteJORDAN SPIETH HAS BIRDIED THE 18TH HOLE, THE MOST DIFFICULT HOLE ON THE COURSE. He goes out in 35, and COMES HOME IN ONLY 30 SHOTS. He birdied the last three holes, and he is now 13 under par, only one shot off the lead.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable. Whatever happens tomorrow, for sports fans this has been the summer of Jordan Spieth.
YEAH!
DeleteLeaderboard:
ReplyDelete1. J. Day (AUS): -14 (52 holes)
T2. J. Spieth: -13 (54)
T2. J. Rose (ENG): -13 (53)
T4. B. Grace (RSA): -12 (54)
T4. M. Jones (AUS): -12 (52)
And now Day bounces back with a long birdie putt on 17 to move to 15 under par. He leads Spieth and Rose by two shots.
ReplyDeleteJones takes a double bogey on 17, and falls back to 10 under.
Jones has gone bogey-bogey-double bogey over the last three holes.
ReplyDeleteFinau bogeys 17 and 18 to finish 10 under.
Rose bogeys the last hole, and falls to 12 under par.
ReplyDeleteAnd now Day, after two spectacular shots, has an 18-footer for birdie here on 18. His putt looks good all the way, but just misses on the left side. He taps in for a 66, and he will finish the day with a two-shot lead.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow, his playing partner will be Jordan Spieth.
That was as good a Saturday of golf as you will ever see.
ReplyDeleteWOW! WOW! WOW! This is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteSo was the CBS coverage as bad as some are making it seem?
ReplyDeleteI was listening to PGA Tour Radio, so I didn't hear any of the CBS commentary.
Delete