DAY AND SHARK: Greg Norman holds the 36-hole record at The Players with a 14-under 130 in 1994. “Obviously, the hole-in-one is huge, but playing for this big purse, and I’m just trying to keep my card”. To make the cut in this thing is awesome because I missed the cut by a mile last weekend in Charlotte [N.C.]. When all was said and done, it took him six more shots on the back nine, day-over-day.
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“I feel good about how I’m going about my game”, Day said.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry shot a 3-under round of 68 to move to second place with an 11-under 133 total for the tournament at halfway. Jason Day has been practically flawless for two days at The Players Championship, and equally relentless. “So a little disappointing, but still, I would have taken 9 under before I started today”. I just can’t believe that happened. “The wind was ideal for that club and when it came out drawing a little bit, I thought, “That’s right at it”.
“I played well”, McIlroy said.
The Players really doesn’t start until the weekend, especially this one because of the low scoring that could knock out Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson, and most likely already has sent defending champion Rickie Fowler packing.
“I’ve got it in my head with the ninth hole that any time that I have gone for the green it has not really worked out for me”, McIlroy told Sky Sports.
His putter stayed warm in the cooler conditions with a 25-foot birdie try dropping on the 4th, followed by a two straight three-footers for par in a week where Day has given himself an astounding number of opportunities to pick up strokes.
The last time Scott made a quadruple bogey in a tournament, at this year’s Honda Classic, he rebounded to win, but he fears it might be a bridge too far.
“(Because) the greens are small, sometimes a conservative shot into a green in regulation is probably the appropriate play”.
After his Srixon yellow golf ball rolled in from 147 yards, the 6-foot-1, 160-pound Wilcox jumped into caddy Michael Middlemo’s beefy arms, struck a flex pose and then enthusiastically high-fived playing partners Cameron Tringale and Daniel Summerhays.
Big brother’s butterfingers did force him to walk the final five holes of the day in wets shoes in socks, but Austin Johnson said he had a dry pair in the locker room.
From 50 feet across the green he eagled the 16th, only to leave another long-range putt just inches short on the famous par-three 17th island hole.
“If you don’t freak out in that moment”.
“I’ve seen so many Tour players make hole-in-ones and hole shots, and they’re just like, nothing”.
Knost shares sixth with Jerry Kelly, Gary Woodland and former Ryder Cup players Boo Weekley and Francesco Molinari, while WGC-HSBC champion Russell Knox is also on nine under with three holes to finish. “Like, what’s wrong with you?”
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When I mentioned to Wilcox that the last guy who had some success on the Stadium Course with a colored golf ball was Jerry Pate, he said, “He’s a ‘Bama guy, sort of”.
