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The 2023 Memorial Tournament has been a highly exciting event so far. Lesser-known faces have pleasantly surprised the golf community with their performances. On the other hand, many big-name golfers have shockingly missed the cut. Things are expected to get even more heated at Muirfield Village as the tournament enters the weekend.

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As thrilling as Friday’s second round was, fans were treated to a rather peculiar moment involving golfer Jason Day and tournament host Jack Nicklaus. So, what went down at the Memorial Tournament between the two? Let’s find out!

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Jason Day’s frustrations at Muirfield finds an unexpected response in Jack Nicklaus

When it comes to golf courses, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Muirfield Village is as iconic as it can get. Since 1976, the famed golf course in Nicklaus’ hometown has attracted many of the best players in the world every year for the prestigious Memorial Tournament. Also, Muirfield is constantly being worked upon and tweaked by the Golden Bear and his team, even undergoing a complete overhaul ahead of the Memorial Tournament’s 2021 edition. Despite its legendary status, however, the course hasn’t been able to win over former World No. 1 Jason Day completely.

On Friday, fans caught Day on a hot mic seemingly saying “stupid hole” in regard to the 16th. Jack Nicklaus’ presence at the Golf Channel‘s broadcast booth at that moment made things even more awkward. “Did he say stupid hole?” Nicklaus went on to ask. The 18-time major winner, however, didn’t think much of the moment, further saying, “No, I think he might be right.

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This was the second time Day had expressed frustration with the 16th hole in the tournament. “I don’t like the 16th length,” the major winner said after an opening-round 76 on Thursday. “It’s just not really a hole that should be playing at 220.” Notably, the Australian is also a member of Muirfield Village.

Also Read: ‘No One’s Even Looking at Me’: Jordan Spieth Unbothered About Losing Popularity Contest After Massive Fanboy Moment

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As for Day, his Memorial Tournament run ended on a sad note on Friday. The Aussie golfer had made a bogey on his final hole to miss the 36-hole cut, resulting in an early exit.

Jason Day and Justin Thomas are among the golfers to miss the cut at Muirfield

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Following his prolonged injury-related struggles, Jason Day finally returned to his winning ways recently, claiming the AT&T Byron Nelson title last month. Ahead of the Memorial Tournament, however, the Columbus Dispatch‘s Bill Rabinowitz revealed that the Australian was back to dealing with another injury.

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USA Today via Reuters

Just days after the revelation, Day missed the cut at Muirfield after rounds of 75 and 72. Meanwhile, World No. 15 Justin Thomas posted scores of 75-75 to finish at 150 and miss the cut line by three shots. Other prominent golfers to not make the 36-hole cut included U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson, defending champion Billy Horschel, Cam Young, and Kevin Kisner, among others.

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Justin Suh, who shot a 6-under 66 on Friday, currently sits at the top of the leaderboard. He now holds a one-shot lead over past Memorial winner Hideki Matsuyama. Two-time winner and World No. 4 Patrick Cantlay sits another shot behind at T3.

Watch This Story: Brooks Koepka Achieves What Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus Never Did, Surprisingly In Their 33 Combined Major Victories

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What do you think of the whole Jason Day-Jack Nicklaus fiasco? What has been your favorite moment from the Memorial Tournament so far? Tell us in the comments!

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Abantika Ghosh

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Abantika is a fresh writer at EssentiallySports who was chosen in the recent round of ‘ES Draft’ for her strong passion for golf writing. Even in her early days, Abantika has displayed an impressive ability to cover golf with gripping and insightful stories backed by thorough research. Her inspiration comes from the words of the legendary golfer and flag-bearer of the PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy: "As long as I keep enjoying my golf, then hopefully I'll be able to play well," which motivates her to continue writing engaging pieces. Aside from golf, Abantika loves spending her free time exploring her creative side by trying her hand at painting and other artistic endeavors. She also enjoys hiking and traveling to scenic destinations to refresh her mind and find inspiration for her writing.

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Sheldon Pereira

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