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Day in the mix for Pebble Beach PGA title

3 minute read

Jason Day is just three shots off the pace set by Jordan Spieth heading into the final round of the PGA Tour's Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

JASON DAY of Australia.
JASON DAY of Australia. Picture: Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Jason Day says dialling in his iron shots is the key to his chances of ending a PGA Tour title drought that stretches back to May 2018 as he contends on the final day at Pebble Beach.

The Australian star carded a four-under 68 on the iconic Californian course on Saturday to move to within three shots of the lead going into the final round.

Five birdies and a bogey lifted Day to a four-way share of seventh on a packed leaderboard.

The resurgent Jordan Spieth - a player hoping to end an even longer wait than fellow former world No.1 Day for another PGA title - leads by two shots after holing out for eagle on the 16th from 160 yards to sit at 13-under after a 71.

Daniel Berger helped Spieth by going from a share of the lead to two shots behind and a five-way tie for second when his tee shot on the par-5 18th went out-of-bounds by mere inches, leading to a double bogey.

"It's a good lesson to learn for tomorrow, how quickly things can change out here," Spieth said.

For 12-times PGA Tour title winner Day, it's nice to be in the mix at a course he feels comfortable on, after seven top-six finishes in 11 prior starts at Pebble Beach.

"I've had good experiences here in the past, I've had good finishes ... and I just got to keep my head down and move forward," he said.

After sliding down the rankings to 48th, Day has focused on his short game to keep him competitive but singled out his iron play as the difference maker on Sunday.

"I just got to hit my irons better, just plain and simple ... So if I can do that and keep the putter going then I might give myself a shot," the Queenslander said.

"I feel good about the game, I just got to give myself more opportunities."

Berger (72) is in a tie at 11-under with Scotland's Russell Knox (69), Patrick Cantlay (70), Tom Hoge (68) and Nate Lashley (68).

Spieth, who has been without a victory in his past 79 events since winning the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale, had a share of the lead last week at the Phoenix Open but couldn't make any putts in the final round to finish two shots behind.

But he remains as excited about the process as the position he finds himself in again.

"I don't really care about the time frame stuff," Spieth said about the 43-month drought.

"I'm really just going to throw that out of my head because I'm finally consistently doing things over the last two weeks that I've wanted to do for a long time."

Of Day's fellow Australians, Cameron Davis carded a 69 to be tied for 20th in a group with Cameron Percy (73) at six-under with John Senden (72) a shot further back and Matt Jones (73) at four-under.

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