Wells Fargo leader Jason Day has confirmed he has not asked the PGA Tour for a conflicting event release for the upcoming LIV Golf Invitational Series, with his focus instead on chasing a drought-breaking victory in the Washington, DC area.
Former world No.1 Day battled heavy rain in Friday’s second round to maintain his overnight lead, posting a 67 at the par-70 TPC Potomac to top the leaderboard at 10-under-par.
Day’s playing partner Max Homa (66) was in second at seven under, while Luke List (66) and James Hahn (68) were at six under. Day’s superb ball-striking continued, hitting 14 of 18 greens while mixing five birdies with two bogeys.
While the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo event is being played, the DP World Tour’s British Masters is happening across the ditch and several players there, including Lee Westwood and Richard Bland, have confirmed they asked for conflicting events releases for the LIV Golf Invitational Series’ opening event in London from June 9-11.
Golfers must seek a release from the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) for the series, which will have eight events boasting $US25 million purses ($US4 million for the winner) and 48-man fields. An LIV spokesman said more than 100 players had expressed interest in registering for the first event at the Centurion Club outside London.
Sergio Garcia is among the players at the Wells Fargo who have asked for a release, Garcia’s agent confirming that to reporters. But Day said he was not one of them.
“I haven’t talked to them,” Day told Australian Golf Digest. “I’m just trying to focus on playing well this week.” Similarly, Day’s fellow Australian, world No.5 Cameron Smith, told this publication last month there was “a history to the PGA Tour and growing up that’s all I wanted to compete on”.
Day, a 12-time PGA Tour winner, is chasing his first worldwide victory in four years. His last win was the 2018 Wells Fargo at its usual host course, Quail Hollow, but the North Carolina course is being prepped to host the Presidents Cup later this year.
The 34-year-old Day is relishing being back in contention, having been in the mix at the recent Zurich Classic teams event but not in an individual strokeplay tournament since sharing third at Torrey Pines earlier this year.
“I lost a little bit of momentum with kind of my mum passing away (in March), but I’m finally finding my footing again which is nice,” Day said.
Rain is forecasted to pour until 6am on Sunday morning in Maryland. But Day welcomed the brutal conditions and testing TPC Potomac layout, saying it reminded him of the US Open – a Major that he has five top-10s in.
“I’ve always liked US Opens in regards to how tough the golf courses are,” he said. “You have to grind it out. Typically when you have tough conditions, long golf courses, thick rough, the guys who are playing well usually find their way towards the top.”
