Day, Snedeker Wage Battle In Boston At Deutsche Bank
September 5, 2010 at 3:21 PM by AHN · Leave a Comment
Norton, MA, United States (AHN) – Jason Day and Brandt Snedeker dueled all day Sunday during the third round of the Deutsche Bank Championship.
They get to do it again on Monday at the TPC Boston.
Day two-putted from the back of the green at the 18th hole for a closing birdie that gave him a 54-hole record tying 196 total, one better than his playing partner, Snedeker.
It look as if he’d be two shots better. Snedeker was en route to making a mess of the final hole.
His drive found the light rough just off the right side of the fairway, but his second shot from 219 yards came up well short and found the hazard short of the green.
Snedeker dropped and didn’t hit his fourth the way he wanted, it stopped in some long grass in the front of the green, just under 40 feet short of the hole.
He was staring directly at bogey and a two shot swing. He was tied at the time with Day at 16-under. Snedeker proceeded to hole out his pitch for a par five to finish with a 67 .
Day’s birdie gave him the one-shot cushion with 18 to play. His 66 for the day and 17-under mark tied Mike Weir (2008) for the three-round course record.
“I played great,” said the 22-year-old Aussie. “Just had one little mistake out there. I’m happy with how I played and how I handled myself.”
His play has been superb and his “little mistake” was a three-putt at the 16th hole. He missed a four-footer for par. It was his first bogey in 45 holes and his first three-putt of the tournament.
Snedeker got a two-shot swing there when he made a 12-footer for birdie at the par three hole then pulled even with Day at the 17th when he made another birdie to get to 16-under.
If either player falters during the final round, there are plenty of stars lined up behind them.
Luke Donald shot 66 and is alone at 15-under. “It’s a lot of fun,” Donald said. “I felt more relaxed. I’m just enjoying being here,” he said as he looks forward to the upcoming Ryder Cup competition.
Steve Stricker, a solid contender for the FedEx Cup, was in with a 67 and was tied with Charley Hoffman at 13-under par (200).
Conditions were more testing for the field as winds blew consistently and gusted as high at 15-20 miles per hour at times. Phil Mickelson had a successful day with a 67 but is five shots off the pace and will need a low round on Monday.
“I’m trying to turn it around,” Mickelson said of his play after a poor showing and a missed cut at the Barclays. “I want to finish the year strong and tomorrow (Monday) should be a fun day.
Mickelson was in a group with Charlie Wi and the duo of Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy, who shot the low rounds of the day, a pair of 65s.
FedEx points leader Matt Kuchar, who started the day just behind Day and Snedeker, struggled with errant iron shots during the third round and finished with a one-over par 72 and stands at 10-under.
Tiger Woods shot 69 on Sunday and is 10 shots behind at 206, seven-under.
