Matt Jones surged up the FedEx Cup rankings and within reach of the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston today.
While Jason Day finally cooled down after his stellar recent run, countryman Jones picked up the slack and moved to tied third with one round to play in the second of four FedEx Cup playoff tournaments.
The Sydneysider carded five birdies in his three-under-par 68 at TPC Boston, briefly sharing a 3-way tie for the lead when he made a two on the par-3 11th hole.
But a bogey on the 16th dropped him back to 11 under and a closing birdie from big Swede Henrik Stenson left Jones two back, with Rickie Fowler second at -12.
The move vaulted Jones to 23rd from 57th in the projected FedEx Cup standings, with the top 30 after the BMW Championship in a fortnight moving on to the lucrative Tour Championship.
Day, who’d been almost unstoppable since winning the US PGA Championship last month, took a double-bogey six on the 6th hole and said later he “couldn’t find momentum” to restore his round before signing for a 73.
His three back-nine bogeys dropped him to four under and a share of 25th place, but he’ll still maintain his FedEx Cup points lead with his nearest rivals battling this week.
Stenson is projected to move into third, supplanting Bubba Watson, while Jordan Spieth missed the cut but will remain second.
“I just came out a little flat, but there’s no excuse for poor play and mental errors,” Day said.
“I just wish I had more energy, I hit it fine today, fairways and greens, but just didn’t have the stuff on greens like I’ve had (in the past month).
Day said the off-course demands since winning the PGA and last week’s Barclays had left him in desperate need of next week’s break before the season finale.
“I’m just a little flat. I’m really looking forward to it (the break). People don’t realise, if you have an off week, you don’t get all that time off, you’re back practising, doing media stuff and sponsor stuff – it doesn’t stop.
“I’ve had no time off really after PGA, then to come back and win Barclays – this coming week is going to be good for me, just in regards to getting as much rest as possible for the BMW Championship.
“But tomorrow’s another day – I’ll just have to come out and shoot the lights out.”
Day could have surpassed Rory McIlroy as world No.1 with victory this week, but that chance has effectively ended.
Of the other Aussies alive in the FedEx Cup, John Senden fired a fine 67 today to move to T47 at -1, but he will need a huge charge tomorrow to move inside the Cup cutoff of 70, currently projected at 81st.
Marc Leishman looks set to finish agonisingly just outside the top 70 after missing the cut. He can still mathematically make the grade, but only if at least two of those just inside the line shoot very poor rounds tomorrow.
Steve Bowditch also missed the weekend cut, but is safely in the top 30 for now, projected at 25th after a great run at The Barclays.