Jason Day has recaptured his early-season form to move into contention in the BMW Championship in Philadelphia, but one of the four Australians is under pressure to keep their season going.
Day carded a six-under par 64 with six birdies and no bogeys at Aronimink Golf Club today.
At nine-under par, he has leapt into a tie for seventh place in the $US9 million event, the second-last of the four playoff events to conclude the US PGA Tour season, four shots from the lead held by last year’s Fedex Cup winner Xander Schauffele, who also had a 64.
Day missed the cut in the Dell Technologies Championship in Boston last week but he remains projected to go to the Tour Championship in Atlanta later this month inside the top 10 on the season-long points standings.
Day did not miss a single green as a testament to his ball-striking.
“First time ever that I actually hit 18 greens, which was nice. So, when you're not chipping much or hitting shots out of the bunkers or green sides, which I'm normally doing, it definitely makes it a little bit tougher,’’ he said.
The players were out on the course early today owing to the threat of a storm, and first-round joint leader Tiger Woods bogeyed the last two rounds for a disappointing finish to drop back into the pack with a 71, one-over par. Woods was still in the mix through 16 holes but could not get up-and-down from the front trap at the long par-three 17th and saw his par putt lip out, then a par-saver from just inside two metres at the last hole scuttled over the edge of the hole.
Woods is at eight-under overall.
Of the Aussies, Cameron Smith (71) is tied-66th and safe for Atlanta, and Marc Leishman (66) hauled himself back inside the top 30 who will go to the Tour Championship. But Adam Scott, who needs to finish in the top-six this week to get to Atlanta, carded a 68 and is tied-66th, needing a big weekend.