DORAL , Fla. — Somewhere, sometime, many moons ago, somebody coined with expression “Moving Day’’ as it relates to third-round Saturdays at PGA Tour golf tournaments.
Players know they cannot win the tournament on Thursday or Friday, but they can shoot their way out of it by posting a big number in one of the first two rounds. Make the cut and get to Saturday and that’s the day to make a move, put themselves on contention to win in Sunday’s final round.
One day after the wind-blown fiasco that Friday’s WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral became, with the Blue Monster missing only the elephant ears and windmill to complete the amusement park ride, the most prominent player on the planet defined the anatomy of “Moving Day.’’
When Tiger Woods arrived to the first tee for his Saturday round he was tied for 25th at 5-over par, six shots off the overnight lead. When he putted out for par on the 18th to complete his 6-under-par 66 some four hours later he was tied for second at 1-under par, just one shot out of the lead.
When Saturday play was complete, Woods, the defending champion and a seven-time winner of this tournament, was tied for fourth entering Sunday’s final round, three shots behind leader Patrick Reed and in prime position to pounce.
“I figured, hey, I’m only six back, that’s definitely doable, especially with the conditions and how difficult this golf course is playing,’’ Woods said. “I thought if I got to even par, I’d be right there in the tournament and I did one better.’’
Jason Dufner was tied for 11th entering the day, posted a 4-under-par 68 and is tied for second at 2-under par, two shots out of the lead entering Sunday.
Phil Mickelson, like Woods, began the day at 5-over-par and tied for 25th. He posted a 3-under-par 69 to move up to a tie for 14th at 2-over par.
“You certainly need to make a run Saturday, but usually the opportunity comes if you can get calm conditions in the morning and you go out and shoot 6, 7, 8-under par and the wind picks up and makes it tougher for the leaders to make birdies,’’ Mickelson said.
Jimmy Walker, a three-time winner already this season, began the day tied for 34th at 6-over par, seven shots out of the lead. He shot a 5-under-par 67 Saturday to make a move into a tie for ninth at 1-over par.
“I knew if I played really good [Saturday] I could get right back into it,’’ Walker said. “You can’t make ‘Moving Day’ happen; you just have to be patient. You never know how the day is going to evolve. You’ve got to keep your head right. I made a birdie and then another and there you are _ bam, 5-under. So you can’t force it. You just have to let it happen.
“Being too aggressive early can jump up and bite you or if can work for you. I like to let the round kind of build, and if you do get off to that super-fast start that’s awesome.’’
Walker said if you are in the lead, you take notice of what the players behind you are doing early and react accordingly.
Some players — like Woods and Mickelson — have heavier footsteps than others as they make their way up a leaderboard. When Woods is climbing it like he was on Saturday, players take even more notice.
Woods’ caddie, Joe LaCava, described the Saturday strategy like this: “You’ve got to be aggressive but not stupid.’’
“You knew it was going to be a decent scoring day going out there, so you have to get the mindset of getting after it,’’ LaCava said.
How important is “Moving Day’’ Saturday?
Consider that in every one of the 14 major championships Woods has won, he has had at least a share of the lead after the third round on Saturday, meaning he had positioned himself by Saturday.
“When I won the Frys.com Open [in October] I shot a 62, the course record, on Saturday and got back into the tournament [after a 70 and 69],’’ Walker said. “A 62 helps — any round, any day.
“There have been guys that have made the cut on the number and come back to win golf tournaments with huge rounds on Saturday,’’ Walker said. “You’ve got to come from somewhere. You make the cut and now it’s time to freewheel it. That’s why somebody coined that phrase back in the day — ‘Saturday Moving Day.’ ’’