Australia’s Jason Day and US partner Cameron Tringale stayed hot on Friday, teaming for an eight-under 64 that pushed their lead to three strokes in the Franklin Templeton Shootout.
Day and Tringale finished 36 holes of the 54-hole tournament for 12 teams of two at 25-under 119.
“We stuck to the game plan all day, and I was able to get some nice tee shots out there and let Jason have at it,” Tringale said. “We had a lot of short approach shots in again today and Jason putted great when I hit it close. He was banging them in. It was really a team effort out there.”
The teams played a modified alternate shot format on Friday at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, after playing a scramble on Thursday. Yesterday’s final round was due to be a better-ball format.
Graeme McDowell and Gary Woodland combined for a nine-under 63, the low round of the day, moving into second at 22-under 122, while holders Harris English and Matt Kuchar posted a six-under 66 and were alone in third at 21-under.
Day and Tringale’s round included Day’s 15-foot eagle effort at the sixth, as well as three straight birdies at eight, nine and 10.
“We played great out there today,” said Day, who at eighth in the world is the highest-ranked player in the field.”
Northern Ireland’s McDowell, the 2010 US Open champion, aided the cause of himself and Woodland when he holed a short wedge shot at the 13th for an eagle.
“That little 48-yarder my partner left me [on 13] really got the round going,” McDowell said.
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