PARAMUS: Jason Day, proud of how he handled his nerves, rebounded from a double-bogey at the 13th with three birdies in the last four holes to grab a share of the lead after the third round of The Barclays on Sunday.
The Australian signed off with a 10-foot birdie putt at the last to card a three-under 68 at Ridgewood Country Club, finishing level with American Jim Furyk (69) at nine-under 204 in the opener of the PGA Tour’s four-event FedExCup playoffs.
Hunter Mahan (68) was alone in third at eight under, a stroke in front of seven players who included fellow Americans Matt Kuchar (68), Kevin Chappell (71) and Cameron Tringale (72), the latter who shared the second-round lead with Australian Adam Scott.
World number two Scott endured a frustrating day on the challenging AW Tillinghast layout where danger was ever present because of thick rough and slick greens, struggling to a 75 to slide five shots of the pace.
World number one Rory McIlroy, on a blazing three-tournament winning streak that included major triumphs in the British Open and PGA Championship, was level with Scott at four under after carding a 70.
Day, who clinched his second PGA Tour career victory at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in late February, was especially delighted with how he responded to his damaging seven on the 13th hole.
‘I am very proud of how I handled my nerves today(Saturday),’ the 26-year-old told CBS Sports. ‘With the double-bogey on the par-five, I could have lost it but I kind of stuck in there and played some good golf coming in.
‘It was an interesting day. I got off to a great start and then the back nine happened and the par-fives happened.’
Day bogeyed the par-five 17th after ending up in a greenside bunker with his second shot. (Reuters)