Day tumbles down RBC Heritage leaderboard with worst round of season

Jason Day, the No. 1 golfer in the world, almost — almost — slammed his club into the ground.

Moments earlier, he’d found the right side of the No. 16 fairway at Harbour Town Golf Links with a clear look at the flag from about 100 yards.

Day, who entered the third round at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing with a share of the lead, hit a wedge. Fat. On the green, but almost 30 feet from the hole.

He looked down at the divot he’d made in the earth and swung the club head toward it. But he slowed his swing, just tapped the dirt. He walked toward the patch of grass he’d unearthed and, with his club, slung it back down the fairway.

Day, 2 over for the tournament, went on to three-putt the 16th, one of eight bogeys — plus a double bogey — on his 8-over-par round of 79 on Saturday. It was his worst-ever showing at Harbour Town, and the fourth-worst of his career. The Aussie, who’d won consecutive tournaments after holding 36-hole leads, likely took himself out of contention at the RBC Heritage.

And he worried that his poor play might have affected Kevin Chappell, who is trying hard to win for the first time on the PGA Tour.

“I knew something was up when my ball on the third hole hit a tree and bounced 80 yards right into the hazard,” Day said after signing his scorecard Saturday.

That double bogey at No. 3 was preceded by a birdie on No. 2 and a bogey on the first hole. Day stepped onto the tee box at No. 9 with a chance to get back into red numbers before the turn. Instead, another bogey. That set up a disastrous back nine, with bogeys at 10, 11, 12, 14, 16 and 18.

Before Saturday, Day’s worst round at Harbour Town was a 75 in 2008, his first Heritage. He missed the cut that year, but hasn’t missed one since. His best finish was 2011, when he tied for ninth. He finished tied for 30th in 2013, the last time he played the event.

“I really wanted to stay out of Kevin’s way,” Day said, referring to Chappell, his playing partner for the day. “I know that he really wants to win a tournament — he’s had two second-place finishes already this year. And my bad play, I just felt like it may have affected him.”

Chappell — who began the day in a three-way tie for first at 6 under par with Day and Charley Hoffman (who remained at 6 under) — shot a 75, with double bogeys at Nos. 15 and 18. He is 2 under for the tournament.

Hoffman is currently tied for second behind Luke Donald (7-under total). Chappell is tied for 13th.

“It’s going to be easier conditions, I hope,” Day said, when asked about the forecast for the final round. “The wind looks like it’s going to die down. Just got to come out and try to shoot low ... and give myself opportunities. I felt like there was a good score out there today if you hit it in the right spots.”

The largest final-round comeback at the RBC Heritage was in 2004, when Stewart Cink dug out of a nine-hole deficit — which is exactly where Day finds himself entering the final round.

But he’ll need some help from the golfers atop the leaderboard. He’ll have to be lucky and flawless. No ricochets into hazards. No three-putts.

“My chipping and putting (were) nonexistent today,” he said, “and that’s why I shot 79.”

This story was originally published April 16, 2016 at 8:22 PM with the headline "Day tumbles down RBC Heritage leaderboard with worst round of season."