Day could have been even further in front at the start of the final round but a double-bogey on the par-four 15th halted his momentum on the back nine, where he claimed four birdies and an eagle. He struggled early on with his putter and just couldn’t get into a rhythm.
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Within minutes, it all changed, as if final-round heat had stormed in.
The world number five picked up six shots in six holes from the ninth, and then rebounded from a double-bogey at the 15th by draining a curling 24-footer at the 17th before parring the last.
“I got off to a dream start, really“, said McIlroy, who had not played since the US Open in June after rupturing an ankle ligament playing football with friends on July 4. “And I finally figured something out today on the putting green, but the damage had already been done”. “But I’m trying to be patient and rounds like these help because I see how close I am to finally being at my best”.
The Masters and US Open champion, bidding to claim his third Major title of the year, to emulate Ben Hogan and Tiger Woods, took advantage of relatively calm morning conditions at a sun-baked Whistling Straits by firing a five-under-par 67.
“Michael (Greller) kept on telling me to stay stubborn and some of those putts would fall”, Spieth said on TNT about his stretch of pars on Saturday. “There were some mistakes here and there, but overall I hit a lot of good quality iron shots, hit a lot of great drives out there, drove the ball really well”.
“I had no idea”, said the 34-year-old Iwata, who almost set the record when a 90-foot pitch on No. 18 almost went in. Rory McIlroy finished with his second 71 and is 2 under for the tournament.
“It was a fun day out there”. “I felt like I was playing some solid golf and I was 1-under through 10″. He’s 4-over for the week through 13 holes with the cut at 2-over. “If I was to shoot 68 again, ask the question, you never know”.
“Nice to wrap up the second round”, said Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion.
South Africa’s Branden Grace chipped in from a bunker at 18 to join Jones and Finau on 12 under, rounding out a brilliant 64. I guess that probably shows just a lack of competitiveness and considering this is the first week back in a few weeks.
Coming out this morning, I found the green on Par-5 fifth and two putted from around 25-27 feet.
Twice this year, Jordan Spieth has posed with the trophy.
“This is one of those places where I’ve done well before and like the shapes of the holes”, Kaymer said on TNT. That’s very important on this golf course.
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When he was forced to play from the carpet of a hospitality suite after a wayward tee-shot on nine, clearing tables, bar stools and spectators out of the way to take his second stroke, it looked as if his lack of experience at the sharp end of major tournaments was beginning to tell.
