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Day moves into USPGA contention as Mcilroy heads home

Tom Dodd
Golf

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By Thomas Dodd

  • Jason Day shoots 65 to move into tied third at USPGA Championship
  • Pre-tournament favourite Rory Mcilroy misses cut following 69
  • Jimmy Walker and Robert Streb lead year’s final major on nine under par
  • US Open champion Dustin Johnson also going home
BALTUSROL, SPRINGFIELD, NEW JERSEY, USA – World number one Jason Day moved into contention for the year’s final major with a second round 65, as Rory McIlroy missed the cut at the PGA Championship.

 

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The Australian recovered from a double bogey on the seventh to fire seven birdies in eight holes and finish the day in a tie for third just two shots behind leader Jimmy Walker.

First round leader Walker continues to lead the tournament after a 66 helped him reach nine under par, where he was later joined compatriot Robert Streb.

That was 12 better than Mcilroy, who was out of sorts from 100 yards and in and around the greens all day.

A 35-foot birdie putt on 17 backed up by a huge drive on 18 looked to set Mcilroy up to sneak inside the cut line, before a loose iron and a poor chip condemned him to a second missed major cut of the year.

The Northern Irishman’s next major will now be the Masters at Augusta next April.

Partner Phil Mickelson played the 18th perfectly to birdie and make the cut by one shot – despite driving out of bounds off the first and carding a triple bogey seven.

It was a good day for some of the pre-tournament favourites, with Open Champion Henrik Stenson shooting 67 to reach six-under, while 2010 PGA winner Martin Kaymer went round in 69 to sit one shot further back.

The best round of the day came from Streb, whose 63 tied the lowest score in a major to leave the American in the final group with Walker on Saturday.

Two-time major winner Jordan Spieth also edged his way into the picture with a 67 in the morning session.

Last year’s Masters and US Open champion sits on three under at the halfway stage.

That’s one worse off than Rickie Fowler, who reached four under after an eagle at the par-five 18th.

This year’s US Open victor is heading home, however, as Dustin Johnson ended his week on nine over par following a 72 on Friday.

Perennial major nearly man Sergio Garcia also won’t be around for the weekend after a 74 left him five over par.

Jamie Donaldson is the best-placed Brit on four-under par after a round of 67.

The English charge will be headed by Paul Casey on two under and Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston, who along with Tyrell Hatton, Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher sits on one under at the halfway stage.

None of the top three players on the leaderboard have reached the winners’ circle at a Major before whereas the next three are proven on golf’s grandest stages.

The last time there were four first time major winners in a season was 2011, when Keegan Bradley completed the set for the season by triumphing at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Georgia.

Leaderboard after Day 2: (US Unless stated)

-9 Jimmy Walker, Robert Streb
-7 Emiliano Grillo (ARG), Jason Day (AUS)
-6 Henrik Stenson (SWE)
-5 Martin Kaymer (GER) Patrick Reed, Brookes Koepka
-4 Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Jamie Donaldson (WAL), Rickie Fowler, Harris English

Selected Others (GB Unless Stated)

-3 Jordan Spieth (USA)
-2 Paul Casey, Andy Sullivan
-1 Lee Westwood, Andrew Johnston, Tyrell Hatton, Ross Fisher
+1 Phil Mickelson (USA)
+1 Danny Willett
+3 (MC) Rory Mcilroy
+5 (MC) Sergio Garcia
+9 (MC) Dustin Johnson (USA)