Jason Day finds form at Travelers Championship
Jason Day – file photo image courtesy of USGA
Jason Day is just one behind the leaders, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood at the halfway stage of the Travelers Championship at the TPC River Highlands near Hartford, a second consecutive round of 66 leaving the Australian well placed for one of the big cheques at week’s end, if not a 14th PGA Tour title.
A closing nine of 31 moved Day very much into contention in the Signature event, although he will need to get past two of the hottest players on the PGA Tour this season, Scheffler, Thomas and Fleetwood, who is still chasing a first PGA Tour title.
Day does not enjoy a great record in this event with a best of 8th in 9 previous starts and a best of 44th in his last three, but he has found something this week.
I got off to a bit of a rough start,” said Day. “I shouldn’t say that. I birdied the first hole. But I kind of missed — I started leaving a lot out to the right, got a little bit ahead of it.
“It was really difficult to have a correct warmup today because of the 40-mile-per-hour gusts left to right on the range. When it’s windy, typically — pretty much everyone, I would say a majority of the guys out there get really fast with their tempo, so it’s very difficult to time everything correctly because you’re obviously battling the elements and trying to hit a shot. Evveryone gets a little bit quick, especially in transition.
“Then the back nine was a lot better for me because I started to — I found my groove a little bit. We got down through 10, 11, 12, and there wasn’t as much wind, and I hit a few shots and started trusting the swing again, and then obviously had a great finish.
“When you’re coming out of a U.S. Open, you kind of — I typically would take the week off, so it was very difficult for me to miss this one. And mind you, with some injuries I’ve had, I’ve missed two Signature Events, and I’m a little behind the — this is my 12th event for the year. So it’s kind of difficult. I’m a little bit in catch-up mode right now, so I’ve got to try and play as much as I can.”
Ryan Fox is the next best of the Australasians in a share of 35th place at even par after his second round of 71 highlighted by an eagle at the 13th hole.
