Jason Day seizes lead at Australian Open

NORTON, Mass. - Difficult as it may be in these unprecedented times of spectator-less arenas to generate spontaneous electricity, Dustin Johnson came close late in Friday's second round of THE NORTHERN TRUST at a TPC Boston golf course enveloped in pulsating warmth. He said he tried to birdie every hole and, good gracious, for the better part of his round he succeeded. If the birdie, eagle, birdie, eagle, birdie start wasn't enough of an attention-grabber, there were two more birdies to make the turn in 9-under 27. Then, to put your interest in a headlock, Johnson birdied the par-4 10th and par-3 11th. It was officially silly, wildly impressive, and seriously historic stuff in the making. To be 11-under through 11 holes and using just 13 putts to cover a whopping 128 feet was taking this game to a level that it had never been. RELATED: Full leaderboard | Scheffler cards 59 at THE NORTHERN TRUST So, when Johnson rode home in seven consecutive pars to shoot 60 and push to 15-under 127 and into a two-stroke lead, he was asked "condolences or congratulations?" No surprise, given his ability to shake things off is on a world-class level equal to his uncanny ball-striking skills, but Johnson smiled, then laughed. Well aware of what had transpired earlier in the day with Scottie Scheffler posting the 12th 59 in PGA TOUR history, Johnson said of bid to match him: "I don't really care. It's a good score. I'm happy with it." Honestly, playing competitor Marc Leishman nailed it when he said that Johnson produced the "easiest 11-under through 11 that you could think of." Yes, there was the 41-foot eagle putt at the 542-yard, par-5 second, and a 20-footer for birdie at the 208-yard, par-3 third. But the eagle putt at the 298-yard, par-4 fourth was from 5 feet, but the other birdie rolls - at Nos. 1, 5, 7, 8, 10 and 11 - well, they were all done the old-fashioned stripe-show way. "I was striking it really well," said Johnson, offering a potential understatement of the year, "just giving myself really good looks." Having teed off at 12:44 p.m., Johnson was early in his round when he saw that Scheffler had birdied the par-5 18th for his 59. "Good round," Johnson said to himself. Then he told himself to go lower. He wasn't alone in that sentiment. "We were pulling for him," said Leishman. "Fifty-nine didn't even seem like a question there for a while. (I was) wondering what the lowest score ever anyone had shot." On the PGA TOUR it's 58, by Jim Furyk in Round 4 of the Travelers Championship in 2016, but if the people who were following Johnson along the back nine at TPC Boston would be honest, there didn't appear to be any doubt that Johnson would surpass that. Not when he managed to two-putt from 48 feet at the course's most difficult hole, the 510-yard, par-4 12th. And not when he striped drives at 13 and 14 to give himself birdie tries from 12 and 20 feet. But when those putts leaked wide, you could sense the roll slipping away from. Driving it wide right into thick rough at the 15th, Johnson could do no better than a two-putt par from more than 50-feet. Long and left into a stiff wind at the par-3 16th, it was another lengthy two-putt, this time from 43 feet. So, going lower than 58 was out of reach. But surely, matching Scheffler at 59 appeared a safe bet, given that the par-4 17th and par-5 18th are birdie holes. (They rank as fifth easiest and easiest, respectively.) Ah, but just when you take this game for granted, golf happens. So brilliant with the putter all day, Johnson at the 397-yard 17th missed a 10-footer. He was stuck at 11-under and needed birdie at 18 to shoot 59. He knew what was at stake and didn't run from the challenge. "I wanted to shoot 59. I've never done it." Never? As in ever, even in a fun, recreational round? "I don't think so," he said. "Not that I remember, and I think I'd remember that." Likely what he will remember is a decision that he promptly regretted - he hit driver at the 18th. It's roughly 325 to a swale that runs in the middle of the fairway, a grass bunker, if you will, and Johnson reached it. It necessitated a lay-up, which led to an 83-yard wedge shot that left him a 26-foot putt for birdie. As he had done consistently since the 11th hole, he missed. Johnson confirmed that driver was the wrong club, that he likely could have hit 3-wood and a 6-iron to reach the green in two. But a go-to money shot for him is a "chip driver," a weapon that he uses effectively time and time again, like earlier in the round when he drove the green at No. 4. This time, the shot failed him. That is, if you could say anything failed him on a day when he shot a career low . . . on a day when he pushed to 15-under 127 through 36 holes to seize a two-shot lead over Scheffler and unheralded Aussie Cameron Davis (65) . . . on a day when he made a case for 60 being better than 59 . . . on a day when he did the impossible and plugged excitement into an arena without fans.

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Round 1 of the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions takes place today from Shanghai, China. Here’s everything you need to know to follow the action. Round 1 leaderboard Round 1 tee times HOW TO FOLLOW Television: Wednesday-Thursday, 10 p.m.-4 a.m. ET (Golf Channel). Friday-Saturday, 10:30 p.m.-4 a.m. ET (Golf Channel). Tournament ends early Sunday morning ET and starts Wednesday night ET. PGA TOUR LIVE: N/A Radio: N/A. NOTABLE PAIRINGS (ALL TIMES LOCAL) Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Sungjae Im Round 1: 9:30 a.m. (No. 10); Round 2: 10:25 a.m. (No. 1) Paul Casey, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth Round 1: 9:40 a.m. (No. 10); Round 2: 10:35 a.m. (No. 1) Tommy Fleetwood, Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott Round 1: 9:50 a.m. (No. 10); Round 2: 10:45 a.m. (No. 1) Phil Mickelson, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Haotong Li Round 1: 10:30 a.m. (No. 10); Round 2: 9:15 a.m. (No. 1) Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Justin Rose Round 1: 10:50 a.m. (No. 10); Round 2: 9:35 a.m. (No. 1) MUST READS Power Rankings Expert Picks The First Look: News and notes What to expect during the fall schedule Sign-up and play Fantasy Golf

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LAS VEGAS – Bryson DeChambeau says he intends to take advantage of a new rule in golf in 2019 that allows players to leave a flagstick in while on the green and will likely begin his efforts at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Maui. DeChambeau – who spends countless hours researching all aspects of the game in an effort to improve his performance – believes the advantage will be so distinct that the rule will either be changed back or flagsticks will be made out of different materials. In the past a player incurred a two-stroke penalty if a ball putted from the green hit the flagstick before going in the hole. From January 1, 2019 the rules of golf will allow the flagstick to remain in without penalty. In their notes the United States Golf Association and R&A claim that, “On balance it is expected that there should be no advantage in being able to putt with the unattended flagstick in the hole: In some cases, the ball may strike the flagstick and bounce out of the hole when it might otherwise have been holed, and in other cases, the ball may hit the flagstick and finish in the hole when it might otherwise have missed.� But the four-time PGA TOUR winner says as long as the flags are made out of fiberglass – as it is at most courses on the PGA TOUR – there will certainly be an advantage. Putts hit firmly will benefit if hitting the stick and slippery downhill putts will now have a backstop of sorts. “It depends on the firmness value of the flag. The C.O.R. or coefficient of restitution of the flagstick,� DeChambeau said after his opening round at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. “I won’t do it at U.S. Open because of metal flagsticks but most likely will everywhere else. “All I try to do is use every aspect of the game of golf to my advantage. I try to use the rules to my advantage in the most positive way possible. Not trying to skirt around anything, just use them.� The basis for the new rule is to speed up play as amateur golfers playing without caddies will no longer have to walk to the flagstick to remove it for long putts. DeChambeau believes the rule will certainly quicken play for amateurs but out on the PGA TOUR it could do the opposite. “Inside a certain distance it could become a problem. Most people are going to want the flagstick out and I’m going to want the flagstick in,� DeChambeau said. “There are going to be weird instances where I want it in because I know it is a benefit. If it’s a 20 to 30-footer I’ll just put it in and it might add a little time taking it in and out. “So I don’t know how I am going to deal with that yet (with playing partners) … it is certainly going to be interesting.� Golf has long debated the option of bifurcation of the rules – that is a different set for amateurs and professionals. But an extensive overhaul, which this new rule is part of, is meant to keep the long tradition of the same set of rules for everyone be it a FedExCup champion or 40-handicapper. “It may be what pushes us towards bifurcation,� DeChambeau says. “They could also just make all the flags out of something different and we’d have to adjust. But I think absolutely they will rethink this one.� The Sentry Tournament of Champions is set to be played from January 3-6, 2019 on the Plantation Course at Kapalua – the first PGA TOUR event under the new rules.

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