Day, Ko build two-shot Grant Thornton lead; Maguire, Glover in contention

Jason Day and Lydia Ko have built a two-shot lead at the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational in Naples, Florida, with Ireland’s Leona Maguire and USA’s Lucas Glover in contention.

Day and Ko shot 31 on the back nine in the tougher foursomes format Saturday, giving them a six-under 66 at the first mixed-team event since 1999.

More than posting five birdies on the back nine at Tiburon, Day and Ko managed to avoid mistakes that held so many other teams back.

They are sat on 20-under, two clear of Glover and Maguire (69) and USA duo Tony Finau and Nelly Korda (70).

Lydia Ko and Jason Day have built a two-shot lead after the second round at the Grant Thornton Invitational

The tournament features 16 mixed teams with one male and one female player. The teams played a scramble format Friday. Saturday’s action was foursomes (alternate shot) and Sunday will be a modified four-ball, where both team-mates tee off, then switch balls for their second shots and play that ball until holed.

“I think the biggest thing in foursomes is to keep the ball in play,” Day said. “My personal goal was to just get it down the fairway, keep it in play. Lydia, she’s been a solid rock for the team.”

Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson put together a dynamic back nine of their own, highlighted by Thompson making a hole-in-one on the par-three 16th hole, the ball taking one hop and disappearing into the hole.

But they also had bogeys on two of the par fives. Four birdies and Thompson’s ace gave them a 31 on the back for a 68, leaving them four shots behind with the Canadian team of Corey Conners and Brooke Henderson (69) and Nick Taylor and Angel Yin (70).

Ireland’s Leona Maguire, paired with USA’s Lucas Glover, sit two shots off the lead

Sahith Theegala and Rose Zhang were tied with the Finau-Korda team until Zhang pulled her drive on the 11th hole, the ball bouncing off the cart path and into the hazard for a one-shot penalty. Finau missed a 10-foot putt and they made double bogey and never quite recovered. They didn’t make another birdie, took another double bogey on No. 15 and shot 74, leaving them eight shots behind.

Finau and Korda also fell back. They were in the lead most of the day. But on the par-5 14th, Finau flubbed a tough chip well below the green, Korda’s pitch ran 8 feet by and they took a bogey. On the final hole, Korda missed the green into a bunker and then failed to convert on a 6-foot par putt to fall two behind.

Day and Ko birdied four of their last six holes, including both par 5s and a short birdie on the 16th that gave up low scoring with a front right pin.

Thompson had 158 yards and went two clubs down to a 7-iron, moving back on the tee and taking a little off the club into the breeze. Whatever the maths, it was a perfect calculation and a good swing, and it added to an ace.

Watch the Grant Thornton Invitational throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Sunday from 6pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and more with NOW.