Jason Day – on the 5th hole today – courtesy of PGA of America
Jason Day has recorded a third round of 70 at the PGA Championship near San Francisco and although now three shots behind the leader, Dustin Johnson, he remains very much in the hunt as the first major of the year heads into the weekend.
Day began the day perfectly when his approach at the first finished three feet from the hole to move just one behind the third round leader, Haotong Li.
On a layout which gives with one hand and takes with the other, Day would bogey his 6th and 9th holes although he kept in touch with a couple of nice bunker saves through the back nine before a birdie at the 16th saw him finish three back.
It was a day when so many worked their way into contention however and Day slipped from a share of second place to a tied for 7th. At just three behind he is one of many still very much in with a chance to win this significant title for the second occasion.
“I was 5-under coming into 16, I get to 16, I birdied that with a nice putt from about 20 feet away and then hit a nice one in close on 17, and then you’re sitting there going, I’m only two strokes back if I hole this putt.
“Unfortunately I didn’t, but it’s nice to be able to just hang in there, like major championship weekends you don’t have to do too much to move up the leaderboard, but you can do a lot to move away from the lead, unfortunately, by forcing things too much.
“I feel good about my putting, as well. I feel like that’s coming around nicely. Even though it didn’t look like I putted that great, I’m getting the lines right, unfortunately just not starting it on the line, and sometimes the speed may be just a little bit out, but overall I feel like I’m hitting good putts, just unfortunately they’re not going in.
“Tomorrow is another day, and you can wake up totally different tomorrow and feel great and everything is going to go in, so I’m really positive about how things are progressing.
“Overall it was a solid day even though I didn’t have a lot of birdies. I didn’t have a lot of bogeys, either. Hopefully that’s my poor round for the week and I can move on.”
Johnson leads by one over Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Champ with Collin Morikawa, Paul Casey and Brooks Koepka another shot back and one further back to five players tied for 7th with Jason Day.
For Johnson this is the fourth time that he has had at least a share of the 54-hole lead at a major, having held that position at the 2010, 2015 and 2018 US Opens. He finished those tournaments in 8th, 2nd and third places, respectively.
The only players with as many leads entering the fourth round of a major since 2010 are Jordan Spieth (6) and Rory McIlroy (5). Spieth converted three of those six leads for victory while McIlroy converted four of his five chances.
DJ is the fifth player to start 0-for-3 in major which he had at least a share of a 54-hole lead, joining Harry Cooper, Dai Rees, Ben Crenshaw and Tom Lehman. No player has ever started 0-for-4 when holding a 54-hole lead at a major.
“Yeah, I’m going to try my best not to do that,” said Johnson referring to that record after his round.
“All I can do is go out and play my game and shoot the best number I can. I’m going to just try and go out and shoot as low as I can tomorrow just like I did today. You know, just take what the golf course gives me and just keep on going because, you know, it doesn’t really matter what other guys are doing. All I can control is myself.
“I definitely have experience in this situation that definitely will help tomorrow. I’ve been in the hunt a bunch of times in a major. I’ve got one major, so having that experience is definitely going to be beneficial tomorrow.
“But it’s one of those things. Still going to have to go out and play really good golf. This is a tough golf course. Greens are getting really firm. They are fast. So I think the wind is going to blow again tomorrow, so it’s going to play difficult.
“I look forward to the challenge, and you know, I will definitely be relying on a lot of that experience that I have.”
Leader, Johnson – can he finally convert a 54 hole major championship lead?
Adam Scott retained an outside hope of a very low round tomorrow sweeping him into contention, his even par 70, losing ground in terms of position but something very special tomorrow might just open the door for him. He is seven shots from the lead.
Scott explained after his round just what he needs to do in order for that to occur.
“You can only be as aggressive as hitting the fairway off the tee. I mean, once you’re not in the fairway, you’re not aggressive. You have no control out of the rough.
“You might have a shot where you can get it on the green, but you’re not really in control. If I can hit a lot of fairways, there’s a low score out there somehow if I can dial in the irons.
“But I just haven’t had them starting on my line and doing what I want in the wind. It’s been difficult for me in that sense but I’m pleased I’ve putted very well.”
Twenty players are within five shots of Johnson, in fact at one stage today eleven players were within one of the lead suggesting tomorrow might well be one of the most intriguing major championship finishes in recent times.
The make-up of those players has sixteen of those twenty yet to win a major title which may prove significant in tomorrow’s showdown.
We have waited a while for the opening major of the year but if the current leader-board is anything to go by then the final day is very likely to be well worth the wait.
Jack Trent Advances to Match Play at US Amateur
A typical scene at Bandon Dunes during this week’s qualifying stage. Photo Steve Gibbons USGA
Sunshine Coast golfer, Jack Trent, has safely made it through to the leading 64 golfers to qualify for the match-play phase of the US Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon.
21-year-old Trent, who is currently attending college at the University of Las Vegas, added a second round of 73 at the Bandon Trails layout to go with his opening 69 at Bandon Dunes to finish in 30th place and safely inside the cut off and will advance to tomorrow’s knockout matches.
Trent was one of four players who contested the qualifying rounds and was the only one to advance, Perth’s, Connor McKinney, bogeying three of his last five holes to miss out by one on a playoff for the final place.
McKinney had put himself well in contention with an opening nine if 32 but was unable to capitalise on his fine start and is out of the event.
Perth’s Connor McKinney – disappointing finish cost him his chance – photo USGA Steve Gibbons
South Australian Lachlan Barker and Victorian Lukas Michel finished outside the required mark.
The opening match play opponents will not be determined until the finish of a large playoff for final places in the field.
The surprise of the day was the failure of the defending champion Andy Ogletree to secure a place in the match-play field.
Jason Day 4th behind Collin Morikawa at PGA Championship
Collin Morikawa is all smiles after his major breakthrough – photo Darren Carroll PGA of America
Jason Day has finished in a share of 4th place after a bogey free final round of 66 at the PGA Championship at the TPC Harding Park near San Francisco, finishing three shots behind the eventual winner, Collin Morikawa, who at the age of 23 and in just his second season in professional golf, is a major champion.
Day began the day three shots from the lead held by Dustin Johnson and when he birdied the first he had drawn within two but on a day of low scoring with none of the eventual first 28 finishers over par, the Australian needed to keep moving forward if he was to challenge for the title.
He would produce an impressive final round but it was not enough off hold off the fast finishing Morikawa and Paul Casey, Casey sharing the runner-up place with 54 hole leader, Johnson.
It was however a continuation of a resurgent Jason Day who has now recorded finishes inside the top 7 in his last four PGA Tour starts and continued his progress back up the world ranking from his current 42nd place, to 32nd, having fallen to 63rd six weeks ago.
“Yeah, there’s three holes that I obviously would like to maybe just give myself a better opportunity and that’s 4, 7, and then there’s one on the back side that I — like 15 — no, 16, sorry,” said Day when assessing his round.
“You know, overall, I played solid golf from tee-to-green. Gave myself the opportunities. Although I played great, there’s still a lot more to improve on. I feel like my game was solid enough to get, you know, into a playoff, if not win. Overall, I’m very happy with how things went.
“It was really cool to be able to be in contention again at a major championship on Sunday. It’s just nice to be able to know that the game can handle the pressure of trying to win a major championship.
“I’ve been moving in the right direction over the last four tournaments. I’s like a puzzle, really. Everything is starting to connect and click.”
Adam Scott began the day seven shots behind Johnson and began well with birdies at the 4th and 5th and when he birdied the 10th, a top ten finish appeared a distinct possibility but he would bogey the 12th after coming up short with his approach and finished with 68 and in a share of 22nd place.
It was however a very impressive week given his lack of recent competitive play.
The winner, Morikawa, began the day two from the lead and when he reached the turn in 33 he was on the edge of contention and when he birdied the 10th he would become one of seven players tied for the lead at that point.
Somebody needed to break the deadlock and it would be Morikawa. He pitched in from just off the green at the 14th and then followed up two holes later with a stunning tee shot at the driveable par 4 16th and converted from 8 feet for eagle. It gave him the cushion to play the final two holes with ease, but he played them well anyway and won by two over Johnson and Casey.
“It’s amazing, said the champion. “It’s been a life goal, obviously as a little kid, kind of watching everyone grow up, all these professionals, and this is always what I’ve wanted to do. I felt very comfortable from the start.
“As an amateur, junior golfer, turning professional last year, but to finally close it off and come out here in San Francisco, pretty much my second home where I spent the last four years, is pretty special.
“I’m on Cloud Nine right now. It’s hard to think about what this championship means, and obviously it’s a major, and this is what guys go for, especially at the end of the their career, and we’re just starting.
“So I think this is just a lot of confidence, a lot of momentum, and it just gives me a little taste of what’s to come. I got a taste of this now. Obviously it was a very crowded leaderboard. At one point if you looked at the leaderboard it was all at 10-under and it was a party pretty much. So yeah, this one is going to be very special.”
Cameron Smith was the only other Australian to make the cut and finished 43rd.
Agonising Loss for Ruffels at US Women’s Amateur
Zhang at the age of just 17 – the US Women’s Amateur Champion – photo USGA
A missed putt from less than 3 feet at the 2nd extra hole in today’s final of the US Women’s Amateur Championship in Rockville, Maryland, has cost Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels the opportunity to win the event for the second consecutive occasion.
In an incredibly hard-fought final against the 17 year old American, Rose Zhang, in which there was never more than two holes between the pair at any stage and only one over the last eighteen, Zhang saved a miracle par at the 36th hole and then watched as Ruffels, three years her senior, failed to get up and down from behind the hole at the 38th.
Zhang saved par at the 36th hole after her drive found the left rough and she was unable to clear the rough with her second leaving herself still 90 yards or so for her 3rd. She would hit the most extraordinary pitch to less than two feet which was conceded but surprisingly she conceded Ruffel’s putt from three feet. The pair then moved into extra holes before Zhang parred the 38th and watched as Ruffels missed form very short range.
“Yeah, you can’t take any putt for granted out here,” said Ruffels. “These greens are crazy fast, and that did have a little break to it. I was playing it outside of the hole. I actually hit it on my line, it’s just kind of heartbreak seeing it horseshoe out.
“Rose played great today and got up-and-down. I got up-and-down when I needed to; I thought maybe I had it. But she deserves it.
“Rose was one of the toughest opponents. She never let the door open. Like she was dead straight down the middle, hits greens. What a good player. Her wedge game is amazing, putting is amazing. She’s so solid. I can’t believe she’s only 17. Yeah, all credit to her.”
Ruffels has a busy schedule ahead of her, earning starts in events because of her win in this very event last year.
“I’m going back to Orlando, and then I leave on Sunday for the British Open, and then I have the other three majors. So I have the ANA, then the U.S. Open at the end of the year. Hopefully college season, I’m not sure, but looking forward to the three majors.
“This week I’ll just have a little break, maybe a couple days off, and then — I mean, Scotland is definitely different golf. I’ve never played in Europe before, so just get out there and get some practice rounds in, and yeah, just kind of do the same thing that I’ve been doing.”
It was a gut-wrenching way for Ruffels’ valiant attempt at a second consecutive US Women’s Amateur Championship to finish but, despite her age, Zhang is a highly credentialed youngster and is actually ranked higher than Ruffels in the World Amateur Ranking.
Ruffels can feel very proud of her outstanding play in both attempts at this most significant of women’s amateur events but that will be of little consolation for her as she considers what might have been.
Ruffels in action in today’s final
Four Australians Tackle US Men’s Amateur Championship
With the final of the US Women’s Amateur Championship, featuring one Australian, up for grabs on Sunday US time, final preparations are underway for four Australians to contend the US Men’s Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes in Oregon beginning on Monday August 10th.
Jack Trent, Connor McKinney, Lachlan Barker and Lukas Michel have managed to earn their place in the field of 264 of which only 64 will graduate to the match play phase after 36 holes of qualifying at both Bandon Dunes and
The field has been reduced from the original 312 due to Covid 19 concerns during the traditional qualifying phases.
The Sunshine Coast’s, Trent, is playing the event for the second occasion having advanced to the Round of 32 in last year’s U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2.
Trent, who reached the Round of 16 in this year’s Australian Amateur, received All-West Region and All-Mountain West Conference recognition as a junior at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 2019-20. Trent, who earned all-conference honors for the third time, recorded four top-10 finishes. He also played in two U.S. Junior Amateurs (2014, 2015) and won two Nevada state high school titles.
McKinney (18) was born in Scotland but now resides in Perth and has previously won the qualifying for the Australian Amateur Championship and was 3rd in last year’s World Junior Championship. He plays the event for the first occasion.
South Australian Barker is currently attending Iowa State University in the US but has recorded success at Junior levels in Australia and has enjoyed success as a member of the Iowa State Collegiate team. Like McKinney he plays his first US Amateur Championship.
Victorian, Michel, became the first international player to win the U.S. Mid-Amateur last year when he defeated Joseph Deraney in the final at Colorado Golf Club. He went on to tie for 21st in the Australian Open and reached match play for the second consecutive year in the Australian Amateur. Michel, earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Melbourne.
He is in the field courtesy of his US Mid-Amateur victory.
The quartet will be chasing Australia’s third victory in the US Men’s Amateur Championship to follow Nick Flanagan’s win in 2003 and Curtis Luck’s victory in 2016.
Jason Day Down But Not Out at PGA
Jason Day – on the 5th hole today – courtesy of PGA of America
Jason Day has recorded a third round of 70 at the PGA Championship near San Francisco and although now three shots behind the leader, Dustin Johnson, he remains very much in the hunt as the first major of the year heads into the weekend.
Day began the day perfectly when his approach at the first finished three feet from the hole to move just one behind the third round leader, Haotong Li.
On a layout which gives with one hand and takes with the other, Day would bogey his 6th and 9th holes although he kept in touch with a couple of nice bunker saves through the back nine before a birdie at the 16th saw him finish three back.
It was a day when so many worked their way into contention however and Day slipped from a share of second place to a tied for 7th. At just three behind he is one of many still very much in with a chance to win this significant title for the second occasion.
“I was 5-under coming into 16, I get to 16, I birdied that with a nice putt from about 20 feet away and then hit a nice one in close on 17, and then you’re sitting there going, I’m only two strokes back if I hole this putt.
“Unfortunately I didn’t, but it’s nice to be able to just hang in there, like major championship weekends you don’t have to do too much to move up the leaderboard, but you can do a lot to move away from the lead, unfortunately, by forcing things too much.
“I feel good about my putting, as well. I feel like that’s coming around nicely. Even though it didn’t look like I putted that great, I’m getting the lines right, unfortunately just not starting it on the line, and sometimes the speed may be just a little bit out, but overall I feel like I’m hitting good putts, just unfortunately they’re not going in.
“Tomorrow is another day, and you can wake up totally different tomorrow and feel great and everything is going to go in, so I’m really positive about how things are progressing.
“Overall it was a solid day even though I didn’t have a lot of birdies. I didn’t have a lot of bogeys, either. Hopefully that’s my poor round for the week and I can move on.”
Johnson leads by one over Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Champ with Collin Morikawa, Paul Casey and Brooks Koepka another shot back and one further back to five players tied for 7th with Jason Day.
For Johnson this is the fourth time that he has had at least a share of the 54-hole lead at a major, having held that position at the 2010, 2015 and 2018 US Opens. He finished those tournaments in 8th, 2nd and third places, respectively.
The only players with as many leads entering the fourth round of a major since 2010 are Jordan Spieth (6) and Rory McIlroy (5). Spieth converted three of those six leads for victory while McIlroy converted four of his five chances.
DJ is the fifth player to start 0-for-3 in major which he had at least a share of a 54-hole lead, joining Harry Cooper, Dai Rees, Ben Crenshaw and Tom Lehman. No player has ever started 0-for-4 when holding a 54-hole lead at a major.
“Yeah, I’m going to try my best not to do that,” said Johnson referring to that record after his round.
“All I can do is go out and play my game and shoot the best number I can. I’m going to just try and go out and shoot as low as I can tomorrow just like I did today. You know, just take what the golf course gives me and just keep on going because, you know, it doesn’t really matter what other guys are doing. All I can control is myself.
“I definitely have experience in this situation that definitely will help tomorrow. I’ve been in the hunt a bunch of times in a major. I’ve got one major, so having that experience is definitely going to be beneficial tomorrow.
“But it’s one of those things. Still going to have to go out and play really good golf. This is a tough golf course. Greens are getting really firm. They are fast. So I think the wind is going to blow again tomorrow, so it’s going to play difficult.
“I look forward to the challenge, and you know, I will definitely be relying on a lot of that experience that I have.”
Leader, Johnson – can he finally convert a 54 hole major championship lead?
Adam Scott retained an outside hope of a very low round tomorrow sweeping him into contention, his even par 70, losing ground in terms of position but something very special tomorrow might just open the door for him. He is seven shots from the lead.
Scott explained after his round just what he needs to do in order for that to occur.
“You can only be as aggressive as hitting the fairway off the tee. I mean, once you’re not in the fairway, you’re not aggressive. You have no control out of the rough.
“You might have a shot where you can get it on the green, but you’re not really in control. If I can hit a lot of fairways, there’s a low score out there somehow if I can dial in the irons.
“But I just haven’t had them starting on my line and doing what I want in the wind. It’s been difficult for me in that sense but I’m pleased I’ve putted very well.”
Twenty players are within five shots of Johnson, in fact at one stage today eleven players were within one of the lead suggesting tomorrow might well be one of the most intriguing major championship finishes in recent times.
The make-up of those players has sixteen of those twenty yet to win a major title which may prove significant in tomorrow’s showdown.
We have waited a while for the opening major of the year but if the current leader-board is anything to go by then the final day is very likely to be well worth the wait.
Gabi Ruffels Reaches Second US Amateur Final
Gabi Ruffels – in action today – photo courtesy of Chris Keane USGA
While much of Australian golfing attention is focused on the performances of Jason Day and Adam Scott on the other side of the USA, a 20 year old US based Australian, Gabriela Ruffels, has created further history by reaching the finals of the US Women’s Amateur Championship for the second consecutive year.
Already the first Australian to win the most coveted event in women’s amateur golf when successful 12 months ago, Ruffels reached tomorrow’s final by winning both her quarter final and semi-final matches at the Woodmont Golf Club in Rockville in Maryland today.
Ruffels fought back from a two hole deficit in her morning match against Emilia Migliaccio, holing a 12 foot birdie putt at the last to advance to her afternoon semi-final against Colombian Valery Plata.
The semi-final match was closely fought with no more than a hole between the pair until the 13th which Ruffels birdied to go 2-up. She would lose the next hole but extended her lead to two once again at the 16th and a par at the 17th was good enough to close out the match 2&1.
A feature of her semi-final match was that she birdied three of the four par 3’s on the Woodmont layout.
Tomorrow Ruffels will take on the 17th year old Rose Zhang, of Irvine in California who is currently ranked nine places higher in the world amateur rankings.
Zhang is still a high school student but she has a significant amateur career already behind her, especially in junior golf, so the task for Ruffels tomorrow to complete a remarkable double will be formidable.
“It’s awesome, said Ruffels after play on Friday. “Obviously I’ve done this before, and I don’t really feel the pressure or expectation or anything. It’s mostly coming from myself, to be honest. But I’m just trying to have as much fun as I can out here, and I am doing that, so it’s been awesome.
“Winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur for the second time would mean everything,” said Ruffels today. “I know the list of names that have won it twice and I’d love to join them. It’s the biggest tournament in women’s amateur golf and it would be an honor.”
She even indicated after her semi-final match today that she had not expected to get this far, but her victory last year and that she has been able to fight back from deficits in her matches to date this week suggest she has a real leaning for the match-play form of the game.
Zhang was full of compliments for her opponent tomorrow. “It’s surreal because I watched her win the Women’s Amateur last year, and it just makes me feel so honored to play with her since she’s such an amazing player and an amazing person. I’m just going to go out there and have fun tomorrow and try my best.”
If she is able to win tomorrow, Ruffels will take an even more special place in the history of Australian golf.
Jason Day Loses PGA Lead But Remains Well Placed
Day hits his tee shot at the 9th – click to open – Photo courtesy of PGA of America
Jason Day might have lost his share of the lead at the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park near San Francisco, but he is well placed heading into the weekend of the first major of the year.
Day’s second round of 69 has him two behind the leader, Haotong Li, and tied for second place with Tommy Fleetwood, Daniel Berger, Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose and Mike Lorenzo Vera.
After three early birdies, Day had a share of the lead with Li, who had started his second round early, before a messy double bogey at the lengthy par 4 12th hole. He had chances to regain that lost ground in his closing holes but the putter deserted him.
He is, however, very well positioned with Li leading an event of this nature for the first time and the prospect of becoming China’s first male major championship winner, a huge task for the 25-year old.
Leader, Haotong Li – the weight of China’s expectations on his shoulders over the weekend.
“The course played a little bit — obviously a lot harder today for us in the afternoon,” said Day. “I know that the guys got a lot stronger wind yesterday. So to be able to walk off beating the golf course and shooting 69 today, I was pretty pleased with that.
“It’s a big golf course. It’s a big-boy golf course. The strange thing is when we have the southwesterly wind there’s a lot of side-wind golf shots, so you have to really control your ball flight.
“The greens, I think the last time we were here, they had a little bit more poa annua and they were a little more bumpy, but the green surfaces are playing tremendous. They are starting to get that little purple dry look to them, and with this wind, it’s definitely difficult.
“Obviously 12 was a bit of a mess. Wish I could have at least bogeyed that instead of doubled it, but overall, I gave myself plenty of opportunities coming in and just didn’t capitalize on them like I did yesterday.
“So, shooting 69 today, moving in the right direction, which is nice, if I can do that over the weekend, maybe shoot a couple more over the Saturday and Sunday round, hopefully I’m there; Sunday in contention.
“But the game feels good. I’m excited to come out and play every single day. I’m just going to try to tidy up the driving a little bit on the range and try to hole some more putts tomorrow if I can.”
Adam Scott stayed in touch with a round of 70 after being unable to take full advantage of an early tee time on day two. He mentioned after his round that he never felt he was moving forward.
“It was a bit of a mixed bag,” said Scott. “I guess overall my iron play wasn’t very good today, and my scrambling was pretty good. But a round where I never really had the momentum.
“I drove it a lot better than yesterday, which I was happy about, but I just couldn’t get it in there close enough to have really good looks at birdie, and I missed a few extra greens from the fairway, which is kind of not really my style.
“It was a bit of a grind. I’m definitely going to have to find my rhythm with my irons over the weekend.”
In Scott’s defence, it was just his second competitive round in five months so he has importantly kept himself in the mix for a possible run over the final 36 holes on a golf course that appears as if it will become even more demanding.
Of the other Australians, Cameron Smith improved with a second round of 60 to be at even par and tied for 44th while Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Lucas Herbert will have the weekend off.
Ruffels Remains Alive at US Women’s Am
Ruffels in action today – Chris Keane USGA
Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels hopes of a second consecutive US Women’s Amateur Championship title remain alive following success in her Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches at the Woodmont Golf Club in Maryland today.
Ruffels was behind early in both matches but fought back from a two hole deficit against China’s Lei Ye in her morning round to win 2 up and then overcame a one hole margin through 8 holes against Spain’s Teresa Toscano Borrero in their Round of 16 encounter to eventually win 4&2.
“I’ve been down in all of my matches, but No. 9 has been a big turning point for me,” said Ruffels, who has advanced farther than any defending champion since Danielle Kang in 2011. “If I can be close heading to the back nine, then I feel like I have an advantage.
“I’ve done this before so I don’t really feel the pressure or expectations. I’m just trying to have as much fun as I can out here, and I am doing that, so it’s been awesome.”
Tomorrow Ruffels tackles the well credentialed Emilia Migliaccio from North Carolina who attends Wake Forest University and is currently the 4th highest world ranked women’s in amateur golf. Miglaccio was forced into extra holes of her match this afternoon before winning at the 22nd hole.
The news was not so good for the other remaining Australian in the field Emily Mahar. Mahar suffered an agonising loss to South African Kaleigh Telfer at the 20th hole after holding a 3-up advantage through 14 holes.
Gabriela Ruffels Facts
Jason Day Shares PGA Championship Lead
Jason Day in action today – photo courtesy of PGA of America
Australian Jason Day has opened with a round of 5 under par 65 at the PGA Championship at the TPC Harding near San Francisco and shares the lead with American Brendon Todd at the end of day one.
That pair is one shot ahead of a group of nine players at 4 under 66 but despite 47 players breaking par on the lakeside layout west of San Francisco, the golf course proved to be demanding with no player able to go really low.
Day played early (7.33 tee time) and was bogey free, recording one of his best opening rounds in championship golf following on from several good finishes in recent weeks on the PGA Tour.
“Today I drove it really nicely, and when I was out of position,” said the 32 year old. “I left myself on the right side of the fairways to be able to at least get somewhere around the greens, and if I did miss the greens I left it in the right spot.
“Yeah, pretty sound the whole way around. I hit a lot of good-quality iron shots coming into the greens. Wasn’t overly aggressive. And there was a couple of shots on 9 and 17 where I hit it pretty tight, but overall it was very solid.
“There was definitely a lot of momentum coming in off the previous finishes that I’ve had, three top 10s, which has been nice. The game feels like it’s coming around. I’m pleased with it.
“I’m not like excited — I shouldn’t say I’m not excited. I am excited to come out and play every day, but I know that I can improve, and mainly my putting can improve a little bit more.
“I feel like I’ve been working very hard in the off-weeks and especially when I come to a tournament to be able to get my putting back to where it is because it’s always been a strength of mine, and I feel like the game is slowly coming around, the confidence is coming around because I’m starting to see the results, which has been good.”
Adam Scott has not played a PGA Tour event since February but he did very well to record a round of 68 to be three from the lead, more especially given he was required to overcome a slow start to a round in which he bogeyed three holes on the way to the turn.
“I just hit it in the rough a lot on the front nine, said Scott who played in the afternoon field today.
“Took me four or five holes to kind of figure out my comfort lines on the tee. You know, I’ll give myself a break on having not played any competitive golf for a while, that it took me awhile to find my rhythm out there, but I worked hard and it didn’t slip away from me, which I was really happy with.
“I ground it out on the back nine, because the wind got strong as we got around to around 13, which that was challenging with it coming in hard off the left shoulder. So I’m very happy with that score today.”
Of the other Australians, Matt Jones and Marc Leishman recorded rounds of even par 70, Cameron Smith a 71 and Lucas Herbert a 3 over par 73 in his first appearance at the PGA Championship.
Mahar and Ruffels Advance at US Women’s Amateur
Brisbane’s Emily Mahar in action during her win today – Chris Keane USGA
Australians Gabriela Ruffels and Emily Mahar have advanced to the second round of the US Women’s Amateur Championship in Rockville in Maryland.
The only other Australian in the event, Kirsty Hodgkins, was eliminated after losing to Malaysia’s Alyaa Abdulghany.
Ruffels, who is defending the title she won last year, drew clear in the closing stages of her match against South African, Kajal Mistry, but it was a hard fought contest early, the pair still tied through twelve holes before Ruffels birdied the 13th and 15th holes and eventually won 4&2.
“It was a little bit of a shaky start,” said Ruffels, 20. “It took me a while to kind of get into it, but I was really happy with the way I finished.
“I played a little later today, so the wind was up a lot more and kind of a different direction than the other days, so I did have to make a couple adjustments with what I hit off of tees.”
Brisbane’s, Mahar, who is currently playing collegiate golf while studying at Virginia Tech, is playing her second US Women’s Amateur Championship and emerged as the winner today after a tight battle against Alabama’s Michaela Williams.
Mahar was never behind in her match but it was a close fought affair with never more than two holes between the pair. Mahar held on to win 1 up at the last.