The Open Championship: Jason Day and Min Woo Lee make their move
Australia’s Jason Day and Min Woo Lee are tied for fourth at The Open Championship but they’ve work to do to catch the runaway leader.
Jason Day is the highest-place major winner on the leaderboard at The Open Championship – sitting three under – alongside fellow Aussie Min Woo Lee.
Lee and Day sit at fourth, six shots behind leader American Brian Harman.
Cameron Smith managed to pull off an eagle on the 18th hole to keep his game alive and Travis Smyth dropped a hole-in-one on the 17th.
Six of the 10 Australians in the field did not progress past the 36-hole mark, but Lee and Day’s chance to lift the Claret Jug is well and truly on track.
Home favourite Tommy Fleetwood leads the chase as he battled to an even-par round on Friday to remain in the hunt for his first major. Rory McIlroy is best-placed among the pre-tournament favourites at one under.
Lee, 24, has had an impressive six months but is still seeking his first major win.
“The last six months have been amazing. Definitely made me play a bit better. Everywhere there’s a crowd, I have been playing pretty good,” Lee said.
“After every shot someone is cheering me on and trying to get me going after I make a bogey or so, so it definitely helps.
“It’s been amazing.”
Day, a former world No. 1 had his first win in five years at the AT&T Byron Nelson but is still chasing a major title.
“Even though I’ve played great for the most part of the year, I haven’t played well in the majors, and it’s been a little frustrating for me,” Day said.
“If I can get one here this week, that will definitely change it.
“It is The Open Championship, so if we do get some pretty average weather, it’ll bring a lot of guys back in or at least give them a chance at shooting up the leaderboard pretty quick on tomorrow’s round and then obviously Sunday, as well.”
While just scrapping in Smith, last year’s champion, has more to offer.
“It’s been a frustrating couple of days,” Smith said.
“I know the weather looks not so good, so hopefully the weekend I can grind it out and get back under par and just kind of see what happens.
“Being 12 back with two rounds to go is a big ask, but you never know.”
Smyth’s impressive hole-in-one, the first in Open history at Royal Liverpool’s newest addition and the third of his career.
It wasn’t enough to get him above the cut line but it is a moment he will treasure forever.
“It was amazing, a little bittersweet actually,” Smyth said.
“I had a shocker the day before, made double-bogey and I was just really happy I hit a good shot because I was just so disappointed from the day before.
“It was a huge surprise when it went in the hole. It was just the perfect distance, the wind and the club and it all came together. It was a moment I’ll never forget.
“About halfway through the flight I thought, This is going to be good. It looked amazing.”
Round 2 scores
1 Brian Harman 67-65—132
T4 Min Woo Lee 71-68—139
T4 Jason Day 72-67—139
T39 Cameron Smith 72-72—144
T61 Ryan Fox (NZ) 78-67—145
T61 Adam Scott 72-73—145
MC Lucas Herbert 71-76—147
MC Travis Smyth 78-72—150
MC Daniel Hillier (NZ) 78-73—151
MC Haydn Barron 74-77—151
MC David Micheluzzi 77-75—152
MC Connor McKinney 76-77—153
MC Harrison Crowe (a) 76-80—156
Originally published as The Open Championship: Jason Day and Min Woo Lee make their move
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