The U.S. did not let up on Day 2 and the Ryder Cup is within reach

With a stated goal to return to No. 1 in the world, Jason Day reached the second position in the FedExCup with a two-stroke victory at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club on Sunday. Welcome to the Monday Finish, where Day became the fourth multiple winner on TOUR this season after Patton Kizzire, Justin Thomas and Bubba Watson. FIVE OBSERVATIONS 1. Day: ‘I’ve obviously got a lot of work to do’ When was the last time the winner said that? Day, 30, knew better than anyone that he was saved by his otherworldly short game, taking a tidy 22 putts in the final round.   He was off the mark from tee to green. His driving accuracy (42.86 percent) was well off his driving accuracy for the week (48.21), and so was his greens-in-regulation percentage (44.44 compared to 56.94 percent). Such imprecise play may be hard to overcome at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, as THE PLAYERS Championship winner two years ago well knows. “Obviously, THE PLAYERS is such a huge event,â€� he said. “It feels like a major to me, and I’m sure it feels like a major to most guys. It’s really nice to be able to play pretty solid for the most part of the week [at Quail Hollow]. The short game is really nice; it’s rounding out nicely for next week. I’ve obviously got a lot of work to do over the next few days.â€� Trailing only Justin Thomas in the FedExCup, Day made big strides toward his stated goal of returning to No. 1 in the world. He moved from 14th to 7th in the Official World Golf Ranking. 2. Day touch draws raves from Mickelson Not all compliments are created equal. Considering the source, one can’t help but raise an eyebrow at short game wizard Phil Mickelson (69, T5) raving about Day’s short game. “He’s got a lot of parts of his game that’s impressive; obviously power off the tee, he’s a phenomenal driver,â€� Mickelson said. “And he’s a great putter; he’s got a very deft, soft touch. He’s one of the best putters in the game.â€� (Day’s strokes gained: putting in the final round, +3.498, was even better than his strokes gained: putting for the week, +2.061.) “So you put those two things together, and he’s not lacking in wedge play, either,â€� Mickelson added. “He’s a really good wedge player. So he’s got strengths in all the areas that he needs.â€� 3. Mickelson (69, T5) up one to third in FedExCup Lefty missed short par putts on the first two holes, but a quick tutorial from his brother, Tim, got him back on track. Now Mickelson returns to TPC Sawgrass and the site of one of the most significant victories of his career: THE PLAYERS Championship in 2007. How is he feeling about it? “It’s certainly hard to say because that golf course is very difficult, too,â€� Mickelson said. “The concern I have is that after grinding out so hard this week, that the energy level isn’t up for next week. But conversely, I’ve got a little bit of momentum from playing well after having not played for three weeks, and I’m excited to get in such a big event.â€� The World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship winner in early March, Mickelson, 47, has racked up six top-10 and nine top-25 finishes in 12 TOUR starts this season. His seven birdies in the final round at Quail tied T.J. Vogel for best in the field and gave him his eighth top-five at the Wells Fargo. No one else has more, although the Wells remains one of eight TOUR events in which he has made 10 or more starts without a victory. 4. Watney makes quantum leap Nick Watney was part of the TOUR’s elite when he made the 2011 U.S. Presidents Cup team. While the 37-year-old, former Fresno State walk-on saw his career stall due to injuries and poor play, his T2 at Quail Hollow represented a quantum leap both figuratively. Playing in the last group with Day, he looked more like the guy who won five times from 2007 to 2012, and made a giant leap up the FedExCup standings, climbing 68 spots to No. 66. “To be in the heat, last group, you know, it was really fun just kind of remembering feelings that I had in the past, and I absolutely love it,â€� Watney said. “I’m excited to try to get back again.â€� He won’t have to wait long; Watney is in the field for THE PLAYERS Championship this week. He shot an opening-round 64 and finished T4 at TPC Sawgrass in 2011. 5. Wise thrilled with T2 finish Rookie Aaron Wise has leaned on his former college golf coach, Oregon’s Casey Martin, for tips on playing the TOUR. (Tip one: Work on your short game.) The winner of the 2016 NCAA individual title, Wise also knew he had to work harder on his mental game. With his T2 at Quail, his first top-10 in 16 starts this season, he’s finally seeing the work start to pay off. “It means the world,â€� Wise said. “I’m going to gain so much confidence not only from being in contention, but being there at a place like this where you knew you were going to get a great champion. … I kept my head about me and pulled off some incredible shots.â€� Wise, 21, made four birdies and one bogey to move up 54 spots to 51st in the FedExCup. He was playing for not just his first victory at Quail, but also a berth in THE PLAYERS Championship. While he didn’t quite punch his ticket to TPC Sawgrass, he was reminded of his tremendous upside. He also said he drew inspiration from a surprising source: NBA star LeBron James. “Me and my caddie actually talked about it,â€� Wise said. “We made the turn going to 10; it’s that crunch time, it’s like second half with LeBron. It’s an attitude you have to carry with yourself that you can get it done, and I was able to do that today.â€� FIVE INSIGHTS 1. Day has now converted seven of 14 third-round leads/co-leads into victories, including THE PLAYERS Championship two years ago, and is six for his last seven at closing the deal. He led the field in strokes gained: around the green, thanks in part to his 15 sand saves in 16 chances. He also was second in the field in strokes gained: putting, needed 101 strokes on the greens for the week, and just 22 on Sunday. 2. No need to look far for the most pivotal moment of this Wells Fargo. The 231-yard, par-3 17th was the hardest hole of the final round (3.573), but Day, with just a 7-iron, clanked his tee shot off the stick. His deuce was one of just three birdies there Sunday. 3. Masters champion Patrick Reed (67-69 weekend, solo eighth) has now racked up six straight top-10 finishes on TOUR. 4. Bizarre stat of the week: Quail Hollow Club member Johnson Wagner eagled Nos. 14 and 15 in the first round to become just the second player to record back-to-back eagles this season. A few hours later, John Peterson (Nos. 7 and 8) became the third. 5. Justin Thomas (70-70 weekend, T21) participated in the marriage proposal of the year, but couldn’t wrest the No. 1 world ranking away from Dustin Johnson. Still, Thomas retains a 389-point lead over Day for pole position in the FedExCup.

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TWICE AS NICE FOR HOMA AT WELLS FARGO Forgive Max Homa if he was a little emotional Sunday. He and his wife Lacey recently found out that they would be having their first child, and then he went out and won the Wells Fargo Championship for the second time and earned his fourth PGA TOUR win. “I feel like life’s good,” Homa said. “I’ve got a good life, and I’m playing some good golf.” It was the fourth TOUR win for the 31-year-old Homa and his second this season following a victory at the Fortinet Championship in September in Napa, California. On Sunday, Homa battled the cold, wet conditions better than anyone in the field and finished with a final-round, 2-under 68 to win by two shots over Matt Fitzpatrick, Cameron Young and Keegan Bradley. Homa moved up 14 spots to No. 6 in the FedExCup standings after picking up 500 points. “Sometimes my life feels too good to be true and this is one of those cases,” Homa said. TOUR TAKES ON TEXAS FedExCup leader Scottie Scheffler headlines the field at the AT&T Byron Nelson, which features seven of the top 15 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. K.H. Lee, who won at TPC Craig Ranch last year for his first PGA TOUR title, returns to defend. RBC Heritage champion Jordan Spieth, twice a winner in his native Texas but never at the AT&T Byron Nelson, also returns after a break. Justin Thomas is looking for his first victory of the season. The 2017 FedExCup champ has six top-10 finishes in 11 starts this season. Brooks Koepka and Hideki Matsuyama are teeing it up on TOUR for the first time since the Masters. Dustin Johnson is in action for the first time since getting married to Paulina Gretzky while Xander Schauffele is making his AT&T Byron Nelson debut. TPC Craig Ranch is a par 72 and plays to 7,468 yards. The course, which has also hosted the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, made its debut as a PGA TOUR host in 2021. The winner will receive 500 FedExCup points. THE TURN VIDEO OF THE WEEK MIC CHECK “Perspective is running rampant today.”- Max Homa, who is expecting his first child with his wife Lacey, after winning the Wells Fargo Championship on Mother’s Day BY THE NUMBERS 65 – Final round (-7) for Steve Flesch to win the Mitsubishi Electric Classic outside Atlanta by one shot over Padraig Harrington, Fred Couples and David Toms. 69 – Sunday score for Brent Grant (-3) to win the Korn Ferry Tour’s Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation. 62 – Course record at TPC Craig Ranch in 2021 set by Sam Burns in the second round of the AT&T Byron Nelson. COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10 The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.

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