Jason Day struggles but is tied for lead with Scott Piercy at Bridgestone Invitational

Jason Day had no indication that Saturday at the Bridgestone Invitational would be such hard work until one swing.

His plan was to hit a draw with his driver, and the shot started out to the right. Trouble is, it kept going to the right until he was deep in the trees.

“That came out of nowhere,” Day said. “It wasn’t just down the right. It was way right. I think it’s more of a mental thing when it comes to those ones because when you’re sharp and you’re on your game and you’re hitting it great, you don’t miss them that far.”

It didn’t help that he missed again on the next hole. And then the next one. Or that he hit only three fairways on a Firestone course in Akron, Ohio, that demands more.

Day still managed to turn that into a one-under-par 69 to share the lead with Scott Piercy.

“I felt like Mr. Haverkamp out of `Caddyshack’ trying to find his golf ball and not knowing where the golf hole goes,” Day said.

But he could find the bottom of the cup, including three par putts of at least 8 feet.

Piercy, coming off a runner-up finish in the U.S. Open two weeks ago at Oakmont, quickly tied Day for the lead with an eagle on the par-five second hole and was flawless until the final hole. He had a one-shot lead until pulling his tee shot into the left rough, running a low shot through the green and into a back bunker, and having to scramble just to escape with a bogey and a 67.

They were at five-under 205, the highest 54-hole score at this World Golf Championship since 2007.

Only nine players remained under par, and given the firm conditions of Firestone, Day believes all of them have a chance.

David Lingmerth of Sweden had a 69 and was one shot behind. The big move Saturday belonged to U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, who hits it a long way and has a short memory.

After warming up on the range, Johnson said he was ready for a great round of golf, adding that “I’m due.” The smile suggested he did recall that he played decently at Oakmont two weeks ago.

Johnson was five under through 11 holes and closing in on the lead when he played the final seven holes in one over for a 66. Still, that was enough to get him to two-under 208, three shots behind, along with Charl Schwartzel (67) and William McGirt (70).

Justin Thomas and Emiliano Grillo, buddies from their junior golf days, were another shot back. Thomas was in much better position until his wedge shot found the water on the par-five 16th, and his fifth shot after a penalty drop nearly went in for a par. Thomas then missed a four-foot putt for double bogey.

Henderson has two-shot lead in Portland

Defending champion Brooke Henderson continued her mastery of Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Oregon, shooting a 70 to take a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the Cambia Portland Classic.

The 18-year-old Canadian, who claimed her first LPGA Tour win a year ago in Portland, was at 13-under 203 heading into Sunday’s final round. Henderson leads Colombia’s Mariajo Uribe, who is 11 under after a 71.

Henderson, who three weeks ago won the Women’s PGA Championship, has shared or held the outright Portland lead the last six rounds. Henderson is aiming to become the first back-to-back Portland winner since Annika Sorenstam in 2002-03.

Uribe is looking for her first LPGA Tour win. In her sixth year on tour, Uribe’s best finish is a third at the 2015 Manulife Classic.

Austin Ernst, who had a third-round 69, and Suzann Pettersen (74) are tied for third at nine under. Lee Lopez is fifth at eight under following a round of 69, while Stacy Lewis (67), Cheyenne Woods (69) and Carlota Ciganda (70) are at seven under.

Chalmers still leading Barracuda Championship

Greg Chalmers birdied five of the final six holes to increase his lead to six points in the Barracuda Championship, the PGA Tour’s lone modified Stableford scoring event.

The 42-year-old Australian had seven birdies and a bogey for a 15-point round and 39-point total at Montreux in the scoring system that awards eight points for double eagle, five points for eagle, two points for birdie and deducts a point for bogey and three points for double bogey or worse.

Ben Martin and Gary Woodland were tied for second. Martin had eight birdies in a 16-point round, the best score of the week. Woodland had an 11-point round. He won the 2013 event for the last of his two PGA Tour titles.

Chalmers, Martin and most of the players are fighting for a spot in the British Open in two weeks at Royal Troon in Scotland. Because of the West Virginia floods that led to The Greenbrier Classic being canceled next week, a spot was transferred to the leading player not already eligible at Montreux. Woodland was the only player in the top 23 who has already qualified for the Open.

Jaidee leads by two shots at French Open

Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand posted a 3-under round of 68 to move eight under for the tournament and take a two-shot lead heading into the final round of the French Open.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and South Korea’s Wang Jeung-hun posted one-under 70s, having been level with Jaidee and two other players overnight.

Jaidee played consistently with three birdies, but McIlroy’s third round was erratic. The four-time major winner had six birdies, three bogeys and one double-bogey. Wang’s round featured three bogeys and four birdies.

Defending champion Bernd Wiesberger of Austria posted a 70 and is one shot behind at five under, followed by South African Brandon Stone and four other players at three under. Stone shared the overnight lead, but fell away with a two-over 73 — including double bogey on the 18th hole.