Page 19 - ATD19September2015
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SPORTS A19
Saturday 19 September
It’s Jason Day and everyone else at BMW Championship
JIM LITKE Jason Day, of Australia, celebrates his eagle putt on the 18th green during the second round of Berger, too, might have
AP Sports Writer the BMW Championship golf tournament at Conway Farms Golf Club, Friday, Sept. 18, 2015, in done better if not for a lost
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — As Lake Forest, Ill. ball at No. 14, which led to
Jason Day’s long eagle his only bogey of the day.
putt at the last hole rolled Associated Press “We had plenty of peo-
down the hill and toward ple definitely helping us
the hole, every revolution Day’s day could have record. Instead, he hit a After shooting 32 on the look, probably 25 people”
of the ball only added to been more special still. low pitch that skidded to a front nine to start the sec- Berger said. “At one point,
the sense of inevitability. After heavy rain forced a stop 10 feet from the hole ond round, the Aussie I offered the crowd $500 if
When it disappeared into suspension of the open- and narrowly missed and strung together four bird- they could find. Seriously, I
the cup for an 8-under 63, ing round, Day returned to settled for a 61. ies in a six-hole stretch on did.
a PGA Tour record-tying Conway Farms early Friday “I came in this morning and the back, then capped it “We probably found 20
36-hole score of 18 under needing to hole a 44-yard obviously didn’t shoot 59 off with an 43-foot putt for balls,” he added ruefully.
and a five-shot lead at the wedge shot for an eagle and felt like everyone was eagle at No. 18. But he was Like Day and Spieth and
BMW Championship, Day that would have given him disappointed in me,” Day far from the only golfer on three other players, Todd
pumped his fist as playing a 59 and tied another tour chuckled. a roll. With little wind and made eagle at the 556-
partners Jordan Spieth and He was kidding, but just receptive greens and fair- yard, par-5 18th. Todd
Rickie Fowler broke into barely. Day has won three ways, the field averaged holed a wedge from 81
widening grins and then times — including his first 3-under 68 and world No. 1 yards, but didn’t stick
applause. major, the PGA Champion- Rory McIlroy said even that around long to celebrate.
Their expressions said it all ship — and is an aggregate seemed generous. His wife flew in earlier in the
about golf’s man of the 97 under in tournament Citing the conditions, the day, but because Todd for-
moment: Day is making ev- play since a narrow miss at length of Conway Farms got to add her name to the
erything that matters. the British Open in late July. (it played at 6,892 yards reservation, she wound up
“I feel like I should be pay- “I don’t know how else to Friday) and the number of watching the round in the
ing to come watch some explain the way I’ve been par-4 holes reachable with hotel bar.
of this,” said Spieth, tied playing. I feel very free, like a driver, “the par for us out “She told me ‘good play-
for fifth at 11 under. “It was there’s no stress. There’s ob- here should be 67 or 66,” ing,’ so I assume she caught
special.” viously stress,” Day added added McIlroy, who shot a little bit,” he said. “They
Special enough, anyway, a moment later, “but I’m 65 and called it only “a de- don’t like to show me on
that Day’s closest pursuers, enjoying it.” cent score.” TV, but I think they probably
rookie Daniel Berger and showed that one on 18.”
Brendon Todd, shot 64 and Day’s finish there definitely
63, respectively, on a rain- made it onto the screen.
softened Conway Farms Considering the way he’s
layout and still couldn’t playing, no one in the golf
make up any ground. Yet world dares take their eyes
off him.
He said as a youngster he
wanted to dominate the
game like Tiger Woods and
after the second round,
the inevitable question fol-
lowed: “Are you heading in
that direction now?”
“I hope so. That would be
nice,” Day said, but caught
himself soon after and add-
ed, “But he’s won 79 times
and I’ve only won six. But
it’s something I can shoot
for.”q
