Jason Day lights up The Australian Golf Club

Jason Day mastered the treacherous winds that gusted around The Australian Golf Club on Friday to charge up the Australian Open leaderboard to be seven shots ahead of his chief international rival, Jordan Spieth.

Seven shots may sound like a sizeable gap between the tournament's major drawcards; not according to Day, even after he enjoyed a succession of birdies on the back nine to finish the second round at eight under, just one shot behind leader Lucas Herbert.

The obvious question: Is seven shots enough to keep Spieth at bay?

"Well, we have two days left so, no, it's not enough," Day said after his three-under-par round of 68.

"It's Jordan Spieth. He is obviously solid, and if he can get…