Jason Day is picking up steam after something of a slow start this year.
The 28-year-old Aussie shot a blistering bogey-free 7-under-par 65 to grab a two-stroke lead over Henrik Stenson of Sweden midway through the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club in Lodge in Orlando, Fla.
Day, No. 3 in the World Golf Rankings, sank a 37-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole and added a 36-footer for a closing birdie on the ninth hole to back up his opening 66.
“My goal was to be patient, but I was able to take some aggressive lines out there,” said Day, the reigning PGA champion, whose best result in 2016 is a tie for 10th in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. “I hit some phenomenal drives, hit some good iron shots and putted great–made two big bombs.
“They say there might be some weather coming on the weekend, in but I hope not. It’s playing dry and fast, which obviously fits my game, and I hope it stays that way. And the course is in great shape.”
Stenson, who lives across town at Lake Nona, carded seven birdies on his last 11 holes to finish at 66, a day after rallying for a 67.
His lone bogey in round two came on the second hole.
“It was very similar to yesterday,” said Stenson, who has won 17 times in his pro career, but not since the 2014 DP World Tour Championship Dubai. “I didn’t have much going early, but made a bunch of birdies coming in. Five birdies on the back nine, I’m happy with that.
“The course suits my game. If you’re in position off the tee and hit some good iron shots, it sets up some good birdie chances. It’s a home game for me, so I’m comfortable around there.”
Justin Rose of England, who also lives at Lake Nona, recorded a bogey-free 66 and was three shots back solo third, whole Jamie Lovemark of Rancho Santa Fe and USC had a second straight 68 and was five strokes behind in a tie for fourth with Kevin Chappell of Fresno and UCLA, who also started 68-68, Troy Merritt, who totaled 69, and Derek Fathauer, who had a 66 that included six birdies in seven holes around the turn.
Brendan Steele, of Idyllwild and UC Riverside, shot 70 and was another shot down in a tie for eighth with Paul Casey of England, who had a 69, and Marc Leishman of Australia, who came in at 70.
Adam Scott, who won the Honda Classic and the WGC-Cadillac Championship in his last two starts, struggled to a 73 and was tied for 25th, while second-ranked Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland bounced back from a 75 by shooting 67 and was tied for 42nd.
Amateur Maverick McNealy of Portola Valley, a junior at Stanford, posted a 71 and was tied for 25th, and another amateur, Bryson DeChambeau of Clovis and the NCAA champion last year at SMU, had a second 72 to make the cut on the number in a tie for 63rd.
