It was a no-brainer than an Aussie would hold the 36-hole lead at the PGA Championship.
Jason Day and Matt Jones went home Friday night after the weather suspension, both at at nine-under par with some work left for Saturday morning at Whistling Straits.
It isn’t Day, it’s Jones who has the lead after two rounds of the year’s final major. Jones played his remaining holes in two-under par to reach 11-under par 133 and that was good for a two-shot lead over his countryman.
Day and Jones will play together in the final pairing. “I’m looking forward to this afternoon with Jason,” said Jones, the 75th-ranked player in the world with just one PGA Tour win, the 2014 Shell Houston Open, on his resume. He tied for 30th at the Open Championship then took time off. “I came back refreshed and it made a big difference. I hit it well and putted really well,” Jones said of his first 36 holes.
Day had a birdie at the 16th but three-putted 18 from 100 feet to finish where he started — nine-under. “The greens caught me by surprise this morning,” Day said of the early morning conditions. “The next two days are gonna be great and we’re looking for some good golf,” he predicted.
Justin Rose had just one hole to play and he made routine par at 18 to finish with 67 and land himself at eight-under, just three back. David Lingmerth, who finished on Friday, was in at seven-under with two surprise contenders — rookie Tony Finau and Anirban Lahiri of India.
Jordan Spieth will be out to make up some shots. The Masters and U.S. Open champion head a trio of players at six-under. He shot 67, finished on Friday and is tied with Brendan Steele and Scott Piercy.
The early Saturday conditions were picture perfect for scoring. There wasn’t a hint of wind and the one player who took advantage was Jones.
Tiger Woods couldn’t do anything with his early morning effort. He played his remaining holes one-over par, he finished at five-over and missed the cut in a third straight major.
