Back nine gets him out of jail

JASON Day says he is glad to pull off a great escape on a tough day during the first round of the US PGA Championship.

Yesterday, the Australian world No.7 Day put himself into contention with a solid one-under-par 70 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Day, who won the PGA Championship in 2015 and finished runner-up to Jimmy Walker last year, was three shots behind leaders Thorbjorn Olesen and Kevin Kisner. Denmark’s Olesen, who won the golf World Cup in Melbourne last year, set the pace early with an impressive 67.

American trio Grayson Murray, Gary Woodland and Brooks Koepka all shot 68 in the morning wave to share second place at three-under.

Teeing off the 10th hole on day one of the year’s final major, the 29-year-old Day dropped three shots through 13 holes.

“From tee to green, it’s a challenging course but once you get on the greens, it’s a different beast,” Day said.

But the Queensland native miraculously clawed his way back up the leaderboard with a hot finish. Day bagged a birdie at the par-4 fifth hole before a stunning eagle at the par-5 seventh and, after picking up another shot at the eighth, signed for a 70.

With Quail Hollow recently installing a new breed of Bermuda grass on all 18 greens, Day was satisfied with his round on lightning-quick putting surfaces.

“The greens are very quick and firm and if you’re not in the right position it’s very hard just to make par,” he said.

“Especially if you find the greenside rough because the ball sits down. Finishing with two birdies and an eagle is a really good turnaround.”

The 10-time US PGA Tour winner was paired in the marquee morning group alongside world No.1 Dustin Johnson and 2016 British Open winner Henrik Stenson. Big-hitting Johnson matched Day’s 70, while Sweden’s Stenson failed to get out of first gear, slumping to a 74.