Day knows Spieth is his nearest rival but is wary of getting into a matchplay battle. “There are guys that are great players trying to catch me but I have to just let things happen and be patient with myself”.
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A remarkable six birdies and three pars on the back nine ensures he is adequately placed to do so.
Phil Mickelson and Boo Weekley were both six under for their rounds after 13 holes to reach five under for the tournament, with France’s Victor Dubuisson six under with two to play and four under overall. He wound up only two shots behind and poised to join Tiger Woods (2000) and Ben Hogan (1953) as the only players to win three majors in one season. “There were just a couple of loose ones here and there”.
At 15-under 2015 after 54 holes, Day has a chance to do more than that.
The abundant sunshine and endless action Saturday might have been a preview for what could be a sensational end to the majors.
Day and Spieth will tee off at 2:45. The South African was tied for the lead with three holes to play in the U.S. Open until hitting his drive out-of-bounds onto the railroad track at Chambers Bay.
Justin Rose, despite a double bogey on the fourth hole for the second straight day, had a 68 and is three shots behind.
Matt Jones stormed to the top of the leaderboard on 11 under after completing a 65 when play resumed on day three of the weather-hit PGA Championship.
Still in the mix was Martin Kaymer, who had a 65 and was four shots behind.
But in this undeniable generation shift in golf, Day and Spieth in the final pairing is compelling.
“When I came here, I was thinking just to make my game better and better and on Sunday, I can be in the top 10”, Iwata said through a translator. “He’s full of confidence right now”, Day said. I felt like I played better than what the score reflected. “You want to make the most of it, even though… we’ve won two this year”.
Day might have known winning his first major wasn’t going to be easy.
The turnaround late Saturday afternoon was stunning.
The eagle on the 2nd (his 11th) was the highlight of his round but it was needed, coming just two holes after a double-bogey.
He tugged a 5-iron into a bunker left of the 15th green and was surprised by the amount of sand.
“Very pleased to have a chance to win another major”, Spieth said.
“When that putt missed and I was walking off to 11, I said, “All right, it’s now or never” at that point”, Spieth said. He says he’ll watch the rest of the tournament from his new sports bar in Jupiter, Fla.
Making only his eighth appearance in a major, Jones sank a 15-foot putt at the par-four sixth before draining a 50-footer at the eighth on the way to a bogey-free seven-under-par 65. “But I’m going to have fun with it, and I’m pretty relaxed on the golf course“, he told the PGA Tour website.
“I got to the board on 18. I did all I could do to finish the round off”.
It put him in position to sweep the three American majors.
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A double at the 15th might have broken him, but he responded with a birdie at 17 to establish a two shot cushion with which to start championship Sunday.
