Jason Day was struggling Saturday at the 99th PGA Championship.
So was everyone else in the final group, including his playing partners Hideki Matsuyama and Kevin Kisner.
Still, Day was four-under par standing on the 18th tee. A par kept him in striking distance for Sunday, even a bogey would.
Day made his first mistake off the tee. His drive sailed well right and found tree trouble. The logical, safe shot was a chip back into he fairway with a chance to save par, make bogey at the worst.
Then came what CBS analyst Peter Kostis terms: “A decision born out of fatigue.”
Day tried to hit a hero shot, a big hook that would start well right and find its way somewhere near the green.
Didn’t happen. His shot found hedges near spectator boxes and he would take an unplayable lie penalty.
From there his fourth landed in the right rough, his fifth came up short of the green. His sixth shot left him with an eight-footer for a triple-bogey seven.
He missed and walked off the green with a dreaded snowman — an eight!
That quadruple bogey gave him 77 for his round and dropped him all the way back to even par, basically out of the championship.
Playing partner and leader Kevin Kisner was keeping Day’s score and had no idea what Day made.
You’d hate to ask Day that question, for sure.
