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WGC Bridgestone Invitational, Day 2 recap

Tom Dodd
GolfTom Dodd

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By Thomas Dodd

  • World Number One Jason Day leads after Round 2
  • Only nine players under par after tough day at Firestone
  • Paul Casey best placed Brit in T22nd

Akron, Ohio, USA- World number one Jason Day moved to the top of the leaderboard after two rounds of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational following a one-under-par round of 69.  

Three birdies and two bogeys were enough to put the 2016 Players Champion in the perfect position to win his fourth title of the season.

And despite bogeying the last, Day’s round was one of the best of the day in blustery conditions at Firestone Country Club, and the Australian will take one shot advantage over the field into the weekend.

His nearest chaser is Sweden’s David Lingmerth, whose 67 equalled the low score of the day and vaulted the one-time PGA Tour winner from 15th to second and a spot in the final pairing with Day on Saturday. The 28-year-old also dropped a shot at the tricky par-four 18th, but an outward nine of 31 helped to lift him into contention for a second career win with two rounds to go.

Overnight leader William McGirt struggled in the strong winds, and found Firestone’s deep rough punishing on the way to a four-over 74 which leaves him in a tie for third with Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo. 

Only nine players find themselves under par at the halfway stage. One of those is Jordan Spieth, who remains in contentions after a quiet round of one birdie and two bogeys. The two-time major winner sits three shots behind Day in a tie for sixth on one-under.

It was a bad day for the British contingent in Ohio, however. Paul Casey’s 72 dropped him to two-over par and the Englishmen is the highest placed from the British Isles in a tie for 22nd. Justin Rose laboured to a 76 to fall well down the leaderboard and it was worse for Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston, who dropped nine shots in his last 13 holes to card a 78.
Scotland’s Russell Knox improved on his first day showing, but still shot a 74 to end on nine-over par and sit in a tie for 51st in the field of 58.