Day moves one ahead at challenging Firestone

World number one Jason Day birdied two of his last three holes, despite difficult conditions for scoring, to take a one-stroke lead after Friday's wind-swept second round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

The game's hottest player over the past 12 months with seven tournament wins, Australian Day had a three-putt bogey at the last to card 69 for a four-under total of 136 at Firestone Country Club.

The 28-year-old laid up in two at the par-five 16th before hitting an exquisite wedge to five feet and sinking the birdie putt, and then picked up another shot at the 17th, where he drained a 16-footer from the fringe to earn the outright lead.

Swede David Lingmerth was alone in second after firing a best-of-the-day 67. One stroke further back were first-round leader William McGirt (74), fellow American Scott Piercy (69) and Argentina's Emiliano Grillo (71).

"One of those days where you had to really stay patient ... it was really difficult to make birdies," said Day, who is bidding for a fourth PGA Tour victory this season.

"The greens are starting to get firm and fast, the fairways are firm and fast and then you have a 15 mph (24 kph) wind. I'm just very pleased to shoot under par."

Seventeen players were under par after the opening round but only nine were left in red numbers after 36 holes, having battled in shifting winds on a daunting Firestone layout running firm and fast with a premium on driving accuracy.

Lingmerth, who clinched his first PGA Tour victory at last year's Memorial Tournament and lost a playoff for the CareerBuilder Challenge in January, made a storming start with four birdies in his first nine holes, before dropping one shot on the inward half.

"Today was a scrambling sort of day for me," Lingmerth told Golf Channel. "I putted really well, chipped well round the greens, but wasn't able to strike the ball as well as I have been the last few months. It was a big grind today."

World number two Jordan Spieth, who salvaged a poor day from tee to green in the opening round with brilliant putting, remained in contention as he carded a 71 to sit just three strokes off the pace, level with fellow Americans Justin Thomas (69) and Kevin Kisner (70), and Australian Adam Scott (68). (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Andrew Both)

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Fil-Aussie Jason Day back as world's No. 1 golfer

Day to leapfrog Spieth at top of rankings

Fil-Australian Jason Day will replace Jordan Spieth as world number one on Sunday after advancing to a mouth-watering WGC-Dell Match Play semi-final against Rory McIlroy, while the Texan was beaten in the last 16 by Louis Oosthuizen.

Day, who has been bothered by a back problem, beat Brandt Snedeker, 3&2, in the last 16 and then Brooks Koepka in the quarter-final by the same score on Saturday at Austin Country Club.

Northern Irishman McIlroy, the defending champion, followed a one-up win over British Open winner Zach Johnson by defeating Chris Kirk, 4&3, to set up the first-ever match play encounter between the pair.

South African Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open winner, will face Spain's Rafa Cabrera-Bello in the other semi-final.

Day said his return to world number one -- he occupied the top spot for four weeks late last year -- was reward for all the hard work he has been putting in.

"It's not so much the number one ranking that gets me excited, it's more the journey and the process," he said.

"It's that delayed gratification I'm really thankful for because I have been busting my butt.

"Tomorrow I know I've got a really tough one. My back is a little shot right now."

Four-times major winner McIlroy is bidding to become the second player to retain the Match Play title after Tiger Woods won it in 2003 and 2004.

"My record in match play as a pro is pretty good and it was pretty good as an amateur as well," he said. "To get to the last day for the second year in a row is great for your confidence.

"Especially with the U.S. Masters only a couple of weeks away, to get a good run in this tournament, which is my last competitive start before Augusta, is really pleasing."

An out-of-sorts Spieth, who will be defending champion at Augusta, battled his swing from the moment he stepped on to the range to warm up and lost 4&2 to Oosthuizen.

"I had great ball control the last three days, played very, very solid rounds, and I got to the range this morning and I was hitting some slices with my irons, which is bizarre," the 22-year-old told Golf Channel.

After taking out Spieth, Oosthuizen beat Dustin Johnson, 2&1, in the last eight and said a reprieve at the par-five 12th had been the key to his win over the long-hitting American.

"He gave me a bit of a chance on 12 when I knocked it in the water and he followed me in there. That was a bit of a save for me," said Oosthuizen.

Spaniard Cabrera-Bello, who came into the tournament on the back of two runner-up finishes on the European Tour in the Middle East, beat Ryan Moore 2&1 to reach the semis.

"I enjoy a lot match play and feeling confident this week," said the 52nd seed. "I'm really proud to be in the semi finals."

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Jason Day in lead at Arnold Palmer Invitational

Jason Day crowned a brilliant back nine with an eagle at the 16th to seize a one-stroke lead with a six-under-par 66 in Thursday's opening round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida.

The Australian world number three powered a six-iron from 197 yards away to 10 feet and rolled in the putt for an eagle-three on the par-five, posting a five-under 31 on the back nine on a warm, sunny day at Bay Hill.

The blazing finish by the reigning PGA Championship winner vaulted him ahead of an impressive group at five-under that included compatriots Adam Scott and Marc Leishman, Sweden's Henrik Stenson and Americans Brendan Steele and Troy Merritt.

The round could have been even more special for Day save for a wild drive out of bounds left on the ninth hole that led to a double-bogey.

The red-hot Scott, winner of his last two events, again showed command of the short stick since having to give up his anchored putter this year, saving par twice from five feet, once from 10 and once from 12.

World number six Scott has been in a zone, following a second-place finish at Riviera with victories the next two weeks at PGA National and Trump National Doral before taking a one-week break.

Ten players were bunched two strokes off the pace after shooting four-under rounds of 68, including former U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, fellow Briton Paul Casey, Italy's Francesco Molinari and KJ Choi of South Korea.

Rose had a pair of eagles, including one at the par-four third, his 12th hole of the day, from 112 yards to compensate for a double-bogey on his second hole.

Two-time defending champion Matt Every shot a one-under 71 while world number two Rory McIlroy was tied for 107th in the 120-man field after a three-over 75

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Fil-Aussie golfer Jason Day takes over as world number one

LONDON -- Jason Day has replaced Jordan Spieth as world number one in the latest golf rankings released on Monday.


The Australian, who won his first major title at the PGA Championship in August, takes the top spot for the second time in his career.

He moved ahead of Spieth on September 21, but lasted just a week as the American won the Tour Championship to regain top spot.

Neither player was in action last week, which ensured that Day would edge ahead based on the rankings formula with 12.42 points average to 12.40 for Spieth.

Top 10:

1. (2) Jason Day (Australia)
2. (1) Jordan Spieth (U.S.)
3. (3) Rory McIlroy (Britain)
4. (4) Bubba Watson (U.S.)
5. (5) Rickie Fowler (U.S.)
6. (6) Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
7. (7) Justin Rose (Britain)
8. (8) Dustin Johnson (U.S.)
9. (9) Jim Furyk (U.S.)
10. (10) Zach Johnson (U.S.)

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Day, Spieth have quiet start at season-ending event

ATLANTA - Jason Day and Jordan Spieth, who took turns this year dominating the golf scene, were background players on Thursday as neither was able to summon their magic in Thursday's first round of the Tour Championship.

"It was a bit of a boring round, which is normally good," said Masters and U.S. Open winner Spieth, who shot a two-under 68 to stand five shots behind leader Henrik Stenson of Sweden.

"Just needed to get more dialed in with my wedges and to have better opportunities to make shorter length birdie putts."


 Day looked to be enjoying his first round as a world number one when he roared from the gate with three birdies in a row before knocking his tee shot out of bounds on the fifth hole on the way to a triple-bogey seven in his round of 69.

"I wish I could say that I was a machine and I can hit it straight down the gut every single time, 315 yards," said the 27-year-old Australian, who seemed just that in winning four of his last six events.

"But unfortunately, as humans we're going to make some errors.

"To make triple was pretty disappointing, but it's early on in the tournament, so I can't dwell on that."

DUE FOR A SLIP

Day, whose red-hot form produced runaway scores at the PGA Championship and in FedExCup wins at The Barclays and last week's BMW Championship, may have been due for a slip.

His lost tee shot at the 520-yard, par-four fifth bounced off a tree and jumped over a fence.

"That didn't help. But once again, things happen. It's done. I just got to focus on trying to shoot a low score tomorrow and move on from there."

Spieth showed his growing frustration by shouting at himself and the ball after errant shots.

"It's just a matter of me trying to square the club face and without fear," the 22-year-old Texan said. "There's just a bit of fear there."

Spieth expressed concern about hitting the ball too far left.

"Just very frustrating because I know what it is and I just couldn't stop it for a little while today," he said. "But with that struggle, I still shot two-under."

Spieth, a paragon of consistency earlier this season, missed two cuts during the FedExCup playoffs.

"It's been a bit of a struggle in the playoffs here, whether it was ball striking one day, putting the next," he said. "Today was definitely an off day, slightly off day with both."

Day said getting over a disappointing round was part of the challenge.

"That's how the best players in the world do it, and if I can do that, hopefully I'm close to the lead by Sunday," he said. (Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)

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Get to know Fil-Aussie golfer Jason Day

Here are some quick facts on Filipino-Australian golfer Jason Day, who became golf's new world number one after winning the BMW Championship on Sunday.

Early life

Born: Nov. 12, 1987 in Beaudesert, a small rural town in Australia's eastern state of Queensland, to an Irish-Australian father and Filipino mother.

His father Alvin, a struggling meat plant worker, gave him his first golf club at the age of six after finding it at a local rubbish dump.

Before Day was a teenager, his father had died of stomach cancer. Day developed a drinking problem at 12 and started getting into fights at school.

His mother borrowed money to send him to a boarding school which had a golf course attached. Australia's first U.S. Masters champion, Adam Scott, had also been a student there.

Going professional

Tiger Woods was Day's inspiration as a teenager and he began to model his own practice regime on that of the American great.

He dominated Australia's amateur circuit before turning professional in 2006, making five of his first six cuts on the U.S. PGA Tour.

In 2010, his breakout season, he won his first U.S. Tour event at the Byron Nelson Championship as a 22-year-old, made the top 10 at his first PGA Championship and qualified for the season-ending Tour Championship.

Major heartbreak

At his Masters debut the following year, he finished joint runner-up with compatriot Scott behind Charl Schwartzel. Another runner-up finish behind Rory McIlroy followed at his debut U.S. Open. He subsequently broke into the world top 10.

Heartbreaking near-misses continued at the majors, and he squandered a winning position to lose the 2013 Masters to Scott and was runner-up behind Justin Rose at the U.S. Open that year.

Family tragedy

In November 2013, his maternal grandmother and another seven relatives were killed by Typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda) in the Philippines.

Weeks later, a grief-stricken Day won the World Cup of Golf at Royal Melbourne.

Major breakthrough

Kicked off his 2015 season with a third U.S. Tour win at the Farmers Insurance Open in February but his hopes of a maiden major win at the U.S. Open were dashed by an attack of vertigo.

Day missed a putt that would have put him in a four-way tie for a playoff at the British Open but finally broke through for his long-awaited major win at the U.S. PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

Staying cool in the face of a charging Jordan Spieth, Day's 20-under total was a record at the majors.

Top of the world

Day rode his hot streak to victory at The Barclays, the opener in the four-tournament FedExCup playoff series, to join Spieth and McIlroy in a battle for the world's top ranking.

A tired Day's bid stalled at the Deutsche Bank Championship, but he returned two weeks later to post a stunning wire-to-wire win at the BMW Championship, the third FedExCup event, on Sunday.

The six-stroke win made him the third Australian to take the world number one ranking, following Greg Norman and Scott.

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Unstoppable Day stretches BMW lead to six

CHICAGO -- Jason Day continued his march to try and claim the world number one ranking, stretching his lead to six shots after the third round of the BMW Championship on Saturday.

The 27-year-old Australian kept himself in position for a wire-to-wire victory as he fired a two-under 69 to reach 20-under 193 in the third of four tournaments in the USPGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs.

Day has a six-shot cushion over Americans Scott Piercy (67) and Daniel Berger (70) who are tied for second at the Conway Farms Golf Club.

World number one Rory McIlroy birdied three of the last four holes for a four-under 67 and is in sole possession of fourth, seven shots back of Day.

Day wobbled down the stretch, making two of his four bogeys on the back nine after making just two in the first two rounds.

But Day, who opened with rounds of 61 and 63, grinded it out and capped his third round by draining a long birdie putt on 18.

Day, of Forest Lake, Queensland, could get to world number one if he claims his fifth title of the season on Sunday. He is trying to join Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh as the only players in the last 20 years to win five or more tournaments in a season.

McIlroy will stay number one if he wins Sunday.

Jordan Spieth, who shot a 72 and is tied for 11th, can also claim number one with a win but was 10 shots off the pace.

Day began his round with back to back pars before making birdie on the par-four third. He played the final four holes of the front nine by balancing two bogeys with a couple of birdies.

He had two bogeys in his final six holes on the back nine but he managed to right the ship by draining a 25-foot putt on the par-five 18th for his sixth birdie of the day.

Day is aiming for his fourth title in his past six tournaments, a stretch that includes his first career major win at the PGA Championship and the first event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, The Barclays.

He also has an opportunity to pass reigning US Open and Masters champ Spieth for player of the year honours.

Rickie Fowler had six birdies in a 66 and was in a tie for fifth with Dustin Johnson, who had a 68 with seven birdies, and Kevin Na, who birdied the last two holes for a 70.

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Jason Day on fire in quest for number one

It took a weather delay to slow surging Jason Day at the BMW Championship, where the Australian's fireworks left even Jordan Spieth's hole-in-one in the shade.

Day launched his bid for a victory that could lift him to number one in the world in scintillating fashion, an eagle and nine birdies with one bogey putting him 10-under when the horn sounded to end play shortly after he teed off at his final hole.

With play then suspended for the night, Day was four strokes clear of his nearest rival, American Daniel Berger -- who was in the clubhouse on six-under 65 after holing out for an unlikely eagle at the par-four ninth.

"Being able to be aggressive, more aggressive with my drives off the tee boxes here has definitely paid off," Day said after his first-round heroics.

"I'm just trying to -- just rolling with it right now, and it's worked out."

American Brendon Todd was in the clubhouse on five-under-par 66, while Spieth was five-under through 17, Kevin Chappell five-under through 16 and Justin Thomas five-under through 13.

Day, however, was the undisputed star of what was quite a show.

"I'm walking through the locker room and people are going, you're playing off the ladies' tees, or you're playing a different golf course, or every time you stand up there and hit a drive it's downwind for you," Day said.

"I'd like to say all of those things are true, but they're not. It's good to see that the guys are recognizing that I'm playing good. Obviously it's a good round. I'm not thinking about it too much. I don't want to get too high or too low."

He opened with back-to-back birdies from within six feet on the 10th and 11th holes at Conway Farms Golf Club, Illinois before rolling in a 37-footer for birdie at 13.

He drove the par-four 15th and two-putted for another birdie before giving back a stroke with a three-putt bogey at 17.

He followed that miscue by picking up five strokes in his next four holes with a birdie at 18, a hole out from a fairway bunker for eagle at the first and birdies at the second and third.

He could only laugh when his approach from the bunker at the par-four first hit the green, veered right and rolled in.

Shortly thereafter, playing partner Spieth saw his seven-iron from the second tee land just short, bounce forward and roll into the cup.

The ace jump-started a round that saw Spieth even through his first 10 holes with two bogeys and two birdies.

- 52 still on course -

The Masters and US Open champion -- left searching for answers after back-to-back missed cuts -- followed up with a chip-in birdie at the third and birdies at the fourth and seventh to reach five-under.

World number one Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, was three-under through 12 holes when play was halted with 52 players still on the course.

The first round was to resume Friday morning, with second-round tee times moved up because of a threat of more storms on Friday afternoon.

The three-way tussle for the world's top ranking is just an added spice to the penultimate tournament in the US PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs -- in which a $10 million playoff bonus will be up for grabs in the Tour Championship.

Of this week's field of 70, only 30 will advance to the season finale, where all the remaining players have a theoretical shot at the bonus and the top five in the standings going in will be assured of capturing the big prize with a victory.

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Jason will have his Day at number one, says Thomson

MELBOURNE - Jason Day's bid for the world number one ranking stalled at the Deutsche Bank Championship but it should only be a matter of time before the Australian scales the mountain, according to five-times British Open champion Peter Thomson.

Victory at Deutsche Bank would have handed Day the top ranking but the fatigued 27-year-old hit the wall at TPC Boston and finished in a tie for 12th, nine strokes behind American winner Rickie Fowler.

Day is still top of the FedExCup standings after winning the opening Barclays tournament but will stay world number three.

American Jordan Spieth takes back top spot from Rory McIlroy but only fleetingly, with the Northern Irishman to be restored to number one heading into the BMW Championship in two weeks' time due to the vagaries of the rolling two-year rankings system.

Australian Thomson, who won his five Open crowns from 1954-1965, felt Day was primed to take the number one spot but holding onto it against the likes of fellow 20-somethings McIlroy and Spieth would be a challenge.

"He'll have his turn at being number one and then probably someone else will take over for a while," the 86-year-old World Golf Hall of Famer told Reuters by telephone.

"There's a category of people in the top echelon. He's one of them.

"We had a solitary fellow when (Tiger) Woods was going at his best. It's a group we're looking at now.

"They seem to be very friendly to each other. They all have similar styles."

Day rode a hot streak in the leadup to the Deutsche Bank Championship, piling up wins at the Canadian Open, PGA Championship and The Barclays.

But he shuddered to a halt with a third-round 73 at TPC Boston and said he was "cooked" after signing off with a 69 on Monday.

After winning the Masters and the U.S. Open, Spieth has also struggled since his runner-up finish behind Day at the PGA Championship and missed the cut at the Deutsche Bank.

McIlroy is also no stranger to sudden lapses in form and after winning his second major at the 2012 PGA Championship, toiled through a tough 2013 before roaring back with another two major wins last year.

Thomson felt the merry-go-round at the top could continue for some time and didn't feel confident that any of the pack could sustain a dynasty like 14-times major champion Woods, who spent a record 281 consecutive weeks at number one.

He also felt Day was at peril of a form dip after the emotion of his breakthrough win at the PGA Championship following a number of near-misses at the majors.

"I think there'll be a variety of (major) winners from here," Thomson said. "I should think now that (Day's) won one of the majors, he might go backwards a bit for a while."

The club of youngsters at the top of the golfing world might have room for another, Thomson added.

He was impressed with 26-year-old Fowler's performance at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Fowler's one-stroke win after out-duelling Swede Henrik Stenson lifted him to world number five and third on the FedExCup standings.

"I like his style and his attitude, I think he's very good," Thomson said. "He's going to be getting his share." (Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)

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Day wins The Barclays by six shots

EDISON, New Jersey - Red-hot PGA Championship winner Jason Day of Australia romped to victory at The Barclays on Sunday, winning the opening event of the lucrative FedExCup Series by a whopping six strokes.

World number three Day reeled off eight birdies in a bogey-free final round 62 for a 19-under-par 261 total at Plainfield Country Club for his third victory in his last four starts.

A distant second on 13-under was Sweden's Henrik Stenson, who posted a 66, while two-times Masters winner Bubba Watson (69) finished third, eight strokes off the pace.

Day's dominating victory lifted the Australian into the conversation of top golfer of the year, particularly after Masters and U.S. Open winner Jordan Spieth relinquished the top ranking to Rory McIlroy when he missed The Barclays cut.

"I'm just trying to improve each and every week but it's been a special summer for me and it's not over," Day told CBS in a greenside interview after rolling in his final birdie putt at the 18th.

"To be able to play the way I did over the weekend here was fantastic. Today was just phenomenal golf. I'm ecstatic and looking forward to next week," added Day, who fired a 63 on Saturday to share the third-round lead.

Since missing cuts at the Players Championship and the Memorial Tournament in June, Day has been a force on the course.

The 27-year-old tied for ninth at the U.S. Open despite suffering from a vertigo attack that caused him to collapse on the final hole of the second round at Chambers Bay.

Day finished tied for fourth at the British Open, one shot from joining a playoff at St. Andrews won by Johnson.

He bounced back the next week to win the Canadian Open, finished tied for 12th at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and then claimed his maiden major at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.

"I'm really going to try and make this push for the FedExCup," said Day, who leapfrogged Spieth into first place in the four-event series that rewards the ultimate points leader with a $10 million bonus after the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

"It's been an amazing year for me," said Day, whose four PGA Tour wins this year also includes February's Farmers Insurance Open.

"Just the work and dedication I've put in over the years, it feels like it's finally paying off. It's been a whirlwind kind of summer."

Day is only one victory short of matching the record wins in one season on the PGA Tour by an Australian.

Jim Ferrier won five times in 1951.

(Editing by Andrew Both)

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Fil-Australian Jason Day wins first major title at PGA Championship

KOHLER, Wisconsin - Australia's Jason Day held his nerve to end five years of close calls at the majors with an emotional breakthrough victory by three shots over American Jordan Spieth at the PGA Championship on Sunday.

World number five Day, two ahead of Spieth overnight, never relinquished his lead as he closed with a five-under-par 67 on a blustery afternoon of hazy sunshine at Whistling Straits to post a major record low of 20-under 268.

The previous best at a major was the 19-under total of 269 recorded by Tiger Woods when he triumphed by eight shots in the 2000 British Open at St. Andrews.

Day, 27, fended off the challenge of Spieth, who had been bidding for a rare third major victory in the same year, with four birdies in the first seven holes, followed by three more after the turn.

Spieth, the Masters and U.S. Open champion, had to settle for second place after closing with a 68, a finish that will secure him the number one ranking for the first time at the expense of Rory McIlroy.

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Fil-Australian Day wins Canadian Open

OAKVILLE, Ontario - Jason Day spoiled Canadian hopes of a first home-grown winner in 61 years at the Canadian Open with a one-stroke victory on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Australian birdied the last three holes at Glen Abbey to triumph by one over American Bubba Watson and by two over Canadian David Hearn, the 54-hole leader.

Day ended the tournament in style by rolling in a clutch 22-foot putt at the par-five 18th for a closing four-under-par 68 and a winning total of 17-under 271.

It was his second PGA Tour win of the season, the fourth of his career and followed up a strong tie for fourth at last week's British Open.

Watson and Hearn, playing in the final pairing, shot 69 and 72, respectively. Hearn held a one-stroke lead standing on the 16th tee but Day and Watson, who made birdie on five of his six closing holes, both charged past him with blazing finishes.

Last Monday, Day's birdie try on the 72nd hole at St. Andrews came up short and left him one shot shy of a British Open playoff won by Zach Johnson.

"To come off what happened last week and to be able to get the putt to the hole this time and come out as a winner, it just feels fantastic," said Day, who let out a yell and fist-pumped as his last putt dropped.

Watson appeared to be out of the mix after a bogey at the 10th, before his birdie spree. Day was playing in the group in front of Hearn and Watson, and had to watch Watson's short chip attempt for eagle slide by at 18 to know he had won.

"I've been putting in a lot of work, not only with my golf game, but with my body as well," Day said. "Mentally, I feel like I was in the right spot coming into this week and I played fantastic."

Hearn, vying to become the first Canadian winner at this event since Pat Fletcher in 1954, opened with back-to-back birdies, but stalled on the back nine.

"I'm real proud of the way I played and I'm really proud to be Canadian today," Hearn said. "It was a pretty special day with all of the fans and the support that I had from beginning to finish."

(Reporting by Tim Wharnsby; Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes and Larry Fine)

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Fil-Aussie Day eyes more success after strong British Open

TORONTO -- Australia's Jason Day, who is coming off another near miss at a major championship, will try to build on an already superb season at this week's Canadian Open.

The 27-year old from Beaudesert, Queensland is one of the 20-something young guns who have been lighting up the PGA Tour along with Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler.

Day, who finished tied for fourth at the weather-hit British Open on Sunday, and about two dozen others from St. Andrews are hoping for some more favorable weather at the Toronto-area Glen Abbey Golf Club course, beginning Thursday.

"You're expecting hard, tough conditions at the British Open. But not unplayable weather and conditions," said Day, who has posted six top-10 finishes in a Grand Slam tournament over the past three years.

"You can attack this golf course a lot more."

Glen Abbey returns as the host this year for the 27th time. The course had hosted 22 consecutive Canadian Opens before the Royal Canadian Golf Association began opening it up to other courses throughout Canada.

Among those expected to headline the field are Day, Jim Furyk and Bubba Watson.

Last year in Montreal, Tim Clark closed with a five-under 65 in the final round to rally past Furyk and win for the second time on the USPGA Tour. Furyk had a 12-footer for birdie to force a playoff, but failed to sink the putt.

His total of 263 allowed him to tie Johnny Palmer (1952) and Scott Piercy (2012) for the tournament scoring record.

Clark, who had to skip the British Open because of visa problems, has missed time on the PGA Tour over the last few years with a nagging elbow problem.

The Canadian crowd favorites this week will be Graham DeLaet, Nick Taylor and David Hearn. Taylor captured the Sanderson Farms Championship last year.

Former Masters champion Mike Weir is missing from the event. Weir, who spent over 110 weeks in the top 10 world rankings between 2001 and 2005, announced Friday that he's taking time off from the tour.

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Day inspired by 'go get it done' message from Woods

ST ANDREWS, Scotland - Jason Day, buoyed by the support of close friend Tiger Woods, believes he is ready to end his run of major championship near-misses at the 144th British Open.

The 27-year-old Filipino-Australian has so often been the bridesmaid in a 'Big Four' event and is desperate to finally make the breakthrough on Monday.

"It's good to be mates with him (Woods)," Day told reporters on Sunday after a five-under-par 67 helped him share the third-round lead with Irish amateur Paul Dunne and South African Louis Oosthuizen on 12-under-par 204.

"Every time I'm in contention he always sends a text message saying, 'you know what you need to do'."

Fourteen-times major winner Woods, who missed the halfway cut at St Andrews, told Day after Saturday's second round to 'go get it done'.

"To hear that advice gives you a boost of confidence to know that you're doing the right things and that he really believes in your skills," added the Queenslander who has five times finished in the top five at a major including three second places.

Woods, who has won the British Open on three occasions, also told Day to experience the special feeling that comes with soaking up the applause on the 18th hole of the Old Course links while leading the oldest major championship in the sport.

"He said it's the best walk in golf," said the Australian. "If I have the opportunity of doing that no one can take it away from me.

"That's part and parcel of why we work so hard...that little piece of immortality and glory that goes along with winning the Claret Jug at the home of golf.

"It would be an unbelievable experience. You just can't buy that. The only way you can get that is through the blood, sweat and tears and the dedication you put into your game." (Editing by Mitch Phillips)

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Fil-Aussie golfer to see action at British Open

AFP Sport takes a look at eight of the players to watch at this week's 144th Open Championship which begins on Thursday at St Andrews:

Jason Day (AUS)
Age - 27
World ranking - 8

- Australian Jason Day has finished runner-up at major tournaments on three occasions, the 2011 and 2013 US Opens as well as the 2011 Masters. However his results on European soil have yet to produce a victory and his best result at the British Open was a tie for 30th in 2011. His Asian looks are down to his mother who was from the Philippines and he once gained inspiration from reading a book about Tiger Woods. The 27-year-old from Queensland reached a career high ranking of world number four in 2014 thanks to victory in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship that same year. Tragically lost eight family members, including his grandmother, in November 2013 during Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Jordan Spieth (USA)
Age - 21
World ranking - 2

- All eyes will be on the 21-year-old Texan who has turned the 2015 season on its head by winning the first two majors at the Masters and US Open. He will be attempting to become only the second man, after Ben Hogan in 1953, to win the first three Grand Slam events to open the year. Fresh from a playoff win at last weekend's John Deere Classic, Spieth can also snatch the world number one spot from injured Rory McIlroy with a win on Sunday at St Andrews.

Justin Rose (ENG)
Age - 34
World ranking - 7

- The popular South African-born Englishman enjoyed his greatest success at the Open back in 1998 when he finished in a tie for fourth place as an amateur. Early struggles in his career were soon forgotten as he rose to number three in the world in 2013, winning his first major the same year at the Philadelphia-hosted US Open. It was the first major won by an Englishman since Nick Faldo at the 1996 Masters. A gifted links player and winner of the 2014 Scottish Open, Rose will be looking to produce his best golf on a course where he won the 1997 St Andrews Links Trophy, also as an amateur.

Tiger Woods (USA)
Age - 39
World ranking - 241

- The iconic 39-year-old American always draws massive galleries wherever he plays and this week will be no different on a course he describes as his favourite in the world. Once the dominant force in golf, Woods has struggled in recent seasons and underwent back surgery in late 2013 that also saw a further dip in form. Second on the all-time list of major wins with 14, but still four short of Jack Nicklaus' record, Woods has no immediate plans to retire as he chases a first tournament victory since 2013. When he won the Open at St Andrews in 2000, he crushed the field by eight strokes while his second Open Championship victory, also on the Old Course in 2005, saw him canter home with a five shot winning margin. A third Open title in 2006 followed at last year's venue, the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)
Age - 32
World ranking - 17

- The soft-spoken South African stunned the world of golf in 2010 when he won the British Open at St Andrews with a brilliant performance against the odds. Coming into the tournament, the now 32-year-old had made the cut only once in eight major appearances. However he had the tournament of his life to win by seven shots and lept into the global golfing spotlight. A former world number four, he has seven wins on the European Tour and came close to winning the US Open earlier this year at Chambers Bay where he finished tied for second with Dustin Johnson and just one shot behind champion Jordan Spieth.

Tom Watson (USA)
Age - 65
World ranking - 1124

- One of the legends of the game, Tom Watson is set to play in his final British Open this week at the age of 65. Winner of eight majors, including five British Opens (75, 77, 80, 82, 83), the Kansas City native thrilled golf fans with his riveting rivalry against fellow great Jack Nicklaus during a golden era in the game in the 70's and 80's. In 2009 at the age of 59, he led the Open, at Turnberry, for much of the tournament and had a chance to win on the final day with an eight foot putt on the 18th before losing in a playoff against fellow American Stuart Cink. Watson has also won six majors on the senior circuit and played in four Ryder Cups, captaining the US team to victory in 1993 but was on the losing side as captain in 2014 against Paul McGinley's European side at Gleneagles.

Phil Mickelson (USA)
Age - 45
World ranking - 21

- One of the most popular players to ever play the game, 'Lefty' is a contender to win at every tournament he enters. The burly 45-year-old from San Diego is only missing the US Open to complete his Grand Slam set and has agonisingly finished second a record six times. Has won over 40 PGA tournaments and reached a career high of world number two on several occasions. Won his first Open in 2013 when he became the first player to win the Scottish and British Opens in consecutive weeks. He began the final day five strokes off the lead but produced a magical 66 to win by three shots ahead of Sweden's Henrik Stenson.

Rickie Fowler (USA)
Age - 26
World ranking - 5

- The Californian is still looking for his first major success after a series of near misses and finishing runner-up last year at the British and US Opens, third at the USPGA and fifth at the Masters. Arrives at St Andrews in a rich vein of form having come from behind to win last weekend's Scottish Open at Gullane. Also won his second PGA event in May when he defeated Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner in a playoff at the Players Championship in his resident state of Florida. The 26-year-old is firmly established in the world's top ten and only needs a Grand Slam breakthrough to further enhance his reputation as one of the stars in the game.

Jason Day to see action at the British Open that begins Thursday (tomorrow).

Agence France-Presse lists Day as among "Eight to watch out for" at the British Open.

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Gritty Day grabs share of U.S. Open lead

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington - Jason Day wrote his name into U.S. Open folklore on Saturday, grabbing a share of the third-round lead on a punishing Chambers Bay layout that had literally brought the Filipino-Australian to his knees a day earlier.

Even though Day's round will be long remembered, there is still another chapter to be written in the 115th U.S. Open with Americans Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson and South African Branden Grace all level on four-under 206 going into Sunday.

Day had collapsed on his final hole on Friday and had to be helped from the course by medics after he collapsed again when he completed his round three shots off the lead.

There was worry the world number 10 would have to withdraw but he dug deep and on Saturday was back on the first tee.

Looking drained, Day shot a two-under 68 highlighted by a brilliant back nine that featured five birdies, including three over his four closing holes.

His storming finish earned him a share of the lead and a rousing standing ovation from the 6,000 fans packed into the 18th hole grandstands.

SAVOURED THE APPLAUSE

Day took only a moment to savour the applause as he gingerly made his way to a waiting van where he slumped into the back seat with closed eyes and laid his head on the back rest.

"Last year I didn't play the round after I had vertigo and this one was worse," Day told reporters. "I think the goal was just to go through today and see how it goes."

Day's effort dominated another dramatic afternoon on the links-style layout that saw five different names at the top of the leaderboard and an assortment of brilliant and bewildering shots.

Masters champion Spieth and his American Ryder Cup team mate Patrick Reed began the day with a one-shot lead but as the sun set into Puget Sound the leaderboard had a very different look.

One of the longest courses ever for a golf major, Chambers Bay was tailor-made for the big-hitting Johnson, who muscled his way to the top with an even-par 70 while Grace, a six-time winner on the European Tour, also had a 70.

With its picture postcard vistas, Chambers Bay may have an attractive look but it has been widely criticised by golfers and commentators with the attacks growing louder with each day.

Most of the grumbling has been directed at the bumpy and undulating greens, but Spieth proved they can be conquered as he rolled in a 38-foot birdie putt at the second to move two ahead.

The world number two continued to wield a hot putter, draining a 40-footer for birdie at the third to open up a three-shot cushion.

But even the best putter in the game would have his problems with the controversial greens and Spieth's first wobble came at the fourth when he three-putted from 30 feet for his first bogey.

That was followed by another at the fifth and suddenly Spieth's three-shot advantage had vanished, leaving him to scramble his way to a 71.

"I knew that even par was a really good score starting the day, but when I get to seven-under for the tournament I don't want to finish at four-under, no matter where you're playing," said Spieth, who will try to become just the sixth player to win the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year.

"I had four three-putts today and that's going to happen out here but two of them are unforced and shouldn't have happened."

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

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