Jason Day admits the prospect of a Sunday duel between “two Brissy boys” is tantalising after going shot-for-shot with Cameron Smith in his overdue Australian {golfing} return.
Again in Australia for the primary time in seven years, Day missed a brief birdie putt on his final gap to accept a bogey-free, four-under 67 at Royal Queensland in Thursday’s Australian PGA Championship first spherical.
Elvis Smylie (65) leads the sphere at six below with solely a handful remaining on track, Frenchman Victor Perez and Matias Sanchez defying powerful circumstances as afternoon rain fell to sit down one shot behind with Swiss challenger Joel Girrbach.
Smylie, the son of former tennis star Liz, chipped from one greenside bunker to a different earlier than scoring a birdie on his final gap for the outright lead.
“I did not contact the inexperienced and made 4, so a reasonably good solution to end,” he smiled post-round.
Smith, Day, Marc Leishman and South African younger gun Aldrich Potgieter have been in a gaggle of gamers two behind Smylie.
Day was uncertain how crowds would obtain him, given he hadn’t performed the occasion since 2011 and never set foot within the nation since enjoying the Australian Open in 2017.
However the former world No.1 was embraced as he loved a uncommon aggressive grouping with LIV Golf star Smith, who remembered him as “a gun” when the pair have been dominant Queensland juniors.
Smith, a former world No.2 and British Open winner, has gained the occasion 3 times within the final six years and Day would love to check the youthful man’s mettle on Sunday afternoon.
“It might be enjoyable; it is at all times enjoyable to be in competition but when it is two Brissy boys that may be good,” Day stated.
“Within the closing group on Sunday if you will get there, on the again 9, something can occur. The aim is to get there.”
The spotlight of the day got here from Korea’s Minkyu Kim, who aced the eleventh gap, however his timing was poor with the supply of a brand new BMW for any skilled who manages the feat solely making use of on the weekend.
Defending champion Min Woo Lee (68) lower a annoyed determine, beginning with 4 birdies in his first six holes and reaching five-under earlier than sliding again into the pack with three late bogeys.
Brisbane had been hammered by rain all week however it eased on Wednesday evening as course employees labored time beyond regulation to empty bunkers and make sure the fairways weren’t water-logged.
Lots of set their alarms and braved ominous gray skies to see the Australian super-group’s 6.10am tee off. The devoted gallery then grew to hundreds by the point they completed their spherical.
Smith’s radar was barely off as he combined two bogeys with two birdies to around the flip even par, earlier than birdieing the primary two holes on his again 9 within the $2 million match.
He joked the 3am wake-up time had meant he wasn’t actually firing till he rounded the flip.
“It simply wasn’t all clicking,” he stated.
“After the way in which I putted final Sunday (on the NSW Open), seeing the ball go in and getting a bit little bit of confidence, that was good.
“Once I really feel like I am placing good I really feel like the remainder of my sport frees up and I can actually begin to play some aggressive golf.”
AAP
