Naples, FL (SportsNetwork.com) – Jason Day and Cameron Tringale continued
their hot play on Friday as they teamed for an 8-under 64 and pushed their
lead to three strokes after two rounds of the Franklin Templeton Shootout.
Day and Tringale finished 36 holes at 25-under-par 119 at Tiburon Golf Club.
“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 after playing a
scramble on Thursday. Saturday’s final round will be a better-ball partner
format.
Graeme McDowell and Gary Woodland combined for a 9-under 63, the low round of
the day Friday. They jumped into second place at 22-under-par 122.
The defending champions, Harris English and Matt Kuchar, posted a 6-under 66
and they are alone in third at minus-21, while Charles Howell III and Scott
Verplank carded a 64 to end two rounds at 19-under-par 125.
Billy Horschel and Ian Poulter along with Patrick Reed and Brandt Snedeker
both posted 65s on Friday. They were joined in fifth place at minus-18 by
Keegan Bradley and Camilo Villegas, who shot 5-under 67 in round two.
After starting their round with a pair of pars, Day stuffed his second shot at
the third to a foot and Tringale kicked that in for birdie. Day drained a 15-
foot eagle effort at the sixth to move the team to minus-20.
Tringale dropped his approach shot at the eighth within three feet and Day
tapped that in for birdie. They also birdied the ninth and made it three in a
row as Day converted an 8-foot birdie try at No. 10.
Day blasted out of the sand to two feet at the par-5 14th and Tringale
converted that birdie putt to move the team to 24-under. After three pars in a
row, Day made a 5-foot birdie chance at 17 before they parred the last.
“We played great out there today. We left a few out there, but any great round
you’re going to leave a few out there. I’m excited for tomorrow,” said Day.
McDowell, the 2010 U.S. Open champion, and Woodland had three birdies on the
front nine. Another birdie at the 11th moved them to 17-under par. McDowell
holed a short wedge shot at the 13th for eagle.
They followed with another birdie on the 14th. Woodland missed a 6-foot eagle
putt at the par-5 17th, but McDowell kicked in the short birdie try. McDowell
also made a 6-footer for birdie at the last to get them within three of Day
and Tringale’s lead.
“We left a few out there around the turn. We hit some good irons, we just
couldn’t seem to convert them,” McDowell said. “That little 48-yarder my
partner left me (on 13) really got the round going.”
NOTES: Day is the highest ranked player in the field at world No. 8 … Day
and Tringale are attempting to become the fourth team to win this event in
wire-to-wire fashion … Since the event moved to Naples in 2001, the second-
round leaders or co-leaders have won eight of the 13 titles.
