Jason Day has been virtually unstoppable at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The world’s No. 3 was looking every bit like the man who won the PGA Championship last year as he cruised around Bay Hill with a seven-under par 65 on Friday. Day is 13-under par at the halfway mark and being pursued by two more world-class stars.
Day’s work was done early then in the afternoon, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose stepped up in the afternoon as the weekend challengers to Day.
Stenson, playing just ahead of Rose, holed a 16-foot birdie putt at the 18th green to shoot a 66 that got him to 11-under par, two back of Day.
Rose birdied the 16th then parred in to equal Stenson’s 66 and finished at 10-under par.
Day got out early and was nothing short of spectacular with a clean card, seven birdies and a round that saw his game hitting on all cylinders. “I’m trying to make sure that I am deliberate on every pre-shot routine when I am out there,” Day said. “That was the missing part for me earlier in the year, that focus, and that kind of killer instinct going into each shot like it’s my last.”
Day will play in a threesome with Stenson and Rose on Saturday. The weather forecast calls for possible day-long rain. Tee times were moved up with the first groups going at 7:35 a.m. off both tees.
Stenson’s good play carried over from last year when he finished runner-up to Matt Every. “I didn’t do much early on but made five birdies on the back, I’m really happy with that,” said Stenson, whose ball-striking has been superb. “My putter has been working really nicely the first two days,” Stenson added, noting the part of his game that hasn’t been as sharp.
For Rose, it was a bogey-free round. “I kept a clean sheet,” he said. “I went out and just played my game,” he said, indicating he didn’t think much about Day’s 13-under number that went on the scoreboard early.
Adam Scott, who started the day a shot back of Day, had a disappointing round that saw him shoot 73 and fall all the way back into a tie for 24th at four-under. Amateur Maverick McNealy from Stanford was in there tied with Scott after rounds of 69-71.
The 36-hole cut came at even par 144.
