NAPLES, Fla. — Marc Leishman just hit repeat, and Leishman and Jason Day repeated holding on to the lead.
Leishman made his third hole-out eagle in two days, and fifth hole-out in two years in the QBE Shootout, and the two Australians built a three-stroke lead after the modified alternate shot in the second round at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort on Saturday.
“I was between lob wedge and sand wedge,” said Leishman, who was 96 yards out. “Just ripped a lob wedge a bit lower and felt like I could land it a bit past it and maybe zip it back and give Jase a chance, because he hadn’t really putted up until then except on the first hole.
“It’s funny, the ones you hole are the ones you don’t expect to go in. I wasn’t expecting it to go in and then all of a sudden it disappears. It’s nice. Something about this place that I’ve made a few shots the last couple years and hopefully we can keep that trend going.”
Defending champions Harris English and Matt Kuchar, who have won three times in six appearances in the Shootout, had taken the lead, but the eagle put Leishman and Day back in front and they never stopped after that, shooting an 8-under 64 that included birdies on three of the last four holes.
“‘Leish’ once again holing out on 7, amazing,” Day said. “In that kind of format it’s nice to have eagles, it moves the needle a long way, especially when you’re playing that way.”
English and Kuchar, Sam Burns and Billy Horschel, and Jason Kokrak and Kevin Na are all tied for second at 21 under, three behind. Graeme McDowell and Corey Conners got an eagle from Conners on the 17th to move into fifth, another stroke back.
English and Kuchar had a six-hole stretch of pars on the front before English ended that, and then were making a move on the back nine when English ran a long eagle putt on No. 17 a few feet by, and Kuchar stepped up and missed it. They also parred the reachable par-4 13th.
“I think a little just — what would you call it? — nonchalant’d it, just kind of didn’t focus like normal,” Kuchar said. “It was just a three-footer uphill and that was odd. I’ve been so pleased with my putting and part of golf, happens to everybody.”
“Alternate shot’s always tough,” English said. “‘Kuch’ missed a couple holes not putting and you give him a six- or seven-footer, it’s tough. Having a round with no bogeys is always good. We played some solid golf, it’s just one of those days we didn’t get a whole lot of putts to fall, but it happens.”
LPGA Tour star Lexi Thompson and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson are in sixth at 19 under.
The 12 two-person teams play better ball Sunday in the final of the three formats. Golf Channel has coverage from noon to 2 p.m. ET, followed by NBC from 2 to 4 p.m. ET.
The three-stroke lead is a nice cushion, but Leishman and Day expect to have plenty of work to do in the final round.
“I think there’s a good chance that before we even tee off we won’t be leading,” said Leishman, who played with fellow Australian Cameron Smith last year and finished eighth. “I think when you saw some of the scores today, Billy and Sam shot 10 under? That’s unbelievable in foursomes, or modified foursomes given that. I think we’re going to have to play good, make putts.”
“We’ve just got to focus,” said Day who won the Shootout in his last appearance, with Cameron Tringale in 2014 by a stroke over Kuchar and English. “We’re still 18 holes away from lifting the trophy, so got to stay on top of it.”
Leishman couldn’t help but give a little good-natured challenge to his partner for Sunday.
“We’ve just got to both have chances and then hope we can make some putts, and maybe Jase can make a wedge shot tomorrow, we’ll see,” Leishman said.
“That would be nice, but I’m counting on him,” Day said.
Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at ghardwig@naplesnews.com. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/