Rookie Stays on Top, Jason Day Shows Off New Swing at American Express Round 2

A 23-year-old rookie might be holding out on top of The American Express leaderboard, but plenty of big name PGA Tour stars are lurking close behind. Jon Rahm, Tom Kim and a new-and-improved Jason Day all sit within five shots of the hot University of Georgia product, Davis Thompson.

Making just his seventh start on the PGA Tour, Thompson followed up his stellar opening round 62 with an 8-under 64 at PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament Course, one of three tracks hosting this week’s event. Thompson now has five eagles in two rounds, which ties the PGA Tour’s record for the most eagles in 36 holes.

“I think putting the ball in the fairway, hitting a lot of greens, and really seeing lines well on my putts,” Thompson said when asked about the key to his play as of late.

“Everything is kind of clicking these last two days.”

Another player who is seeing his hard work finally piece itself together is Jason Day. The 35-year-old has struggled with back injuries throughout his career, but it seems as though he could be turning a major corner with some recent swing changes.

On Friday, Day played PGA West’s Stadium Course and posted an 8-under 64 on top of his opening round 67. Day carded four birdies and an eagle to make the turn in 30, giving himself a solid cushion going into the tricky Pete Dye back nine.

Last year, Day starting making changes to his move with PGA Tour swing coach Chris Como, a top-ranked teacher who has also worked with the likes of Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau.

“Going into this year I did some swing changes with my coach, and I feel like those are slowly cementing themselves in there,” Day said on Golf Channel’s broadcast.

“I’m shallowing it out,” Day continued. “The swing has changed dramatically. It took me about a year and half to get the body correct, and the body movement correct until I could actually get into shallowing it out correctly.”

At 13-under, Day sits tied for third heading into the weekend, and there is another former world No. 1 just ahead of him at 16-under par.

Jon Rahm, who won this even back in 2018, carded back-to-back 64s despite noting that he doesn’t quite have his A-game.

“I mean listen, in my mind, having my A-game is almost near perfection,” Rahm said. “So I’m a little bit—a lot a bit hard on myself.”

Watch Round 3 of The American Express on Golf Channel at 3 p.m., as players look to make the 54-hole cut.

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