An 'exhausted' Jason Day has clung to his lead in the Bridgestone Invitational through three rounds despite one of his worst ball-striking rounds at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.
Day only hit three fairways in his third round and for the second day in a row, had to call on his stellar short game to save him.
But the Australian still managed to card a third-round 69, one-under the card, with three birdies and two bogeys, highlighted by a bombed birdie at the par-three 15th hole.
He is five-under overall, sharing the lead with Scott Piercy of the United States, having gone into the third round with a one-shot lead.
'I felt like Mr Haverkamp out of Caddyshack there, not knowing where my golf ball was,' he told Golf Channel afterward. 'I just had to do something. I mean obviously the goal is to win the tournament. I'm just trying to keep myself in it. I hit some pretty average golf shots out there today but the short game saved me.'
Day produced a masterclass in scoring on a day when he kept losing the ball to the right, and he knows that if he can find the keys to his swing tomorrow, he has another great chance.
'If I can hit it anywhere decent tomorrow, give myself a few opportunities on the greens I feel like I've got a very good chance of winning,' he said. ''I'm hoping that I find something in my sleep tonight.'
Of the other Australians in the field for the $9.5 million World Golf Championship event, Adam Scott dropped to two-over, probably out of the mix, while Matt Jones continued his good week, reaching three-over.