SPRINGFIELD, N.J. – World No. 1 golfer Jason Day consulted with Baltusrol Golf Club's head pro Tuesday night and played an abbreviated practice round Wednesday, preparing to defend his PGA Championship title on a course he had never seen until then.
And when the sun set on Friday's second round, Day had made seven birdies in an eight-hole stretch. His 7-under-par score after the first two days trailed leaders Jimmy Walker and Robert Streb by just two strokes.
"It's hard to explain," he said about shooting 68 Thursday and 65 Friday after such little preparation.
He attributes his performance to lowered expectations once he couldn't prepare like he usually does, partly because he was worn out after playing the British and Canadian Opens in consecutive weeks and contracting a cold from his young son. It didn't help that he and his wife, Ellie, were up most of Tuesday night after she had an allergic reaction at the PGA Champions' Dinner he hosted.
He said he was able to "rest and recover" from his schedule and illness while other players practiced in stifling heat and humidity during practice days Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Day also attributes his third-place standing to Baltusrol's straightforward nature.
"I'm very lucky with this golf course, because it's kind of all out in front of you," said Day, who has won seven times in his past 18 tournaments. "There are not a lot of tricks to it. We've come up with a game plan that kind of works."
Day overcame a double-bogey 6 on the par-4 seventh hole, then birdied every hole except one through No. 15.
