[Photo: Getty images]
Jason Day says his quest for a Masters green jacket will hinge on his ability to stay in survival mode at Augusta National knowing, after 14 years, all that counts is that a golfer is in with a chance on the back nine on Sunday.
That attitude, Day hopes, will help him recover from a final-hole bogey that brought him back a stroke after racing to five-under-par and three shots off the second-round lead. Former world No.1 Day settled for a second consecutive 70 that left him at four-under and still right in the hunt, just four shots behind 36-hole pacesetter Justin Rose from England (65, 71). Rose led LIV Golf star and US Open champion, Bryson DeChambeau, by one shot and Rory McIlroy by two, after the Northern Irishman recovered from two late double-bogeys on Thursday with a 66 on Friday to sit six-under.
Day, who posted a bogey-free 70 on day one, began the day at two-under and made birdies at Nos.2, 6 and 8. Seven pars later, he was through 17 holes and in line to record the first bogey-free opening 36 holes in 46 years at the Masters. But Day, once the world’s best putter, felt nothing was dropping on Augusta’s slick greens but reminded himself to be patient and that he was striking it marvellously.
“Inside, I’m swearing at myself,” Day said with a laugh. “This golf course can frustrate you. If you’re leaving yourself 30 to 35 feet, very rarely do you hit it very close. You’re always leaving yourself two, three, four-footers [for par], and that can be very frustrating. That’s why you feel mentally fatigued getting off the golf course at the end of the day, just where they place the pin locations.”
Yet Day is still in with a good shout to capture the green jacket, a coveted garment that has eluded him on several occasions. Notably in 2011, when he shared runner up on debut, and in 2013, when he took a two-shot lead with three holes to play only to card two bogeys and allow countryman Adam Scott to become the first Australian to win the Masters.
But as he prepared for the third round, when the world’s best players will fight it out for pole position, Day said his only mission was to be at least near the lead for the final nine holes on Sunday afternoon (Monday morning AEST).
“Just get yourself into contention on the back side [on Sunday],” Day, who owns four top-10s from 13 prior Masters, said when asked what he’d learned about the weekend rounds at Augusta. “Anything can happen on the back side. Obviously there’s proof of certain people or individuals that have struggled on the back side and certain guys that have played well on the back side and won, too. I’m not going to name names because obviously that might bring up memories of people. But [I need to] get through tomorrow. I know it’s going to be tough, but get the opportunities, try and capitalise on them and then get myself into contention on the back nine on Sunday.”
Day is chasing a second career major to go with his 2015 PGA Championship win.
Despite Day’s strong position, it was a mixed day for the Australian contingent. Min Woo Lee was the only other Australian to make the cut, with a 72 to remain one-under. The other three Australians headed home early. The 2013 Masters winner Adam Scott and Cameron Smith were five-over and Cameron Davis was nine-over, all three missing the two-over cut line.
Asked was it a bitter pill to swallow, 2022 British Open winner Smith said of his first ever missed cut at the Masters :”Yeah it is; I don’t feel like I did that much wrong there and don’t really know what to make of it. “The wind … didn’t quite get it right on a few shots. Didn’t hole any putts. It’s a bit rough but it is what it is.”
