DAY DEFENDS HIS ‘CRAZY’ SHOT AS THOMAS GRABS US PGA TRIUMPH

JASON Day has defended the “crazy” decision that cost him his chance at the US PGA Championship, saying he probably would do it again because he has the talent to pull it off.

Day finished tied for ninth after closing with a one-under 70 to be seven shots behind winner Justin Thomas.

But the 2015 champion’s challenge was effectively ended a day earlier by a quadruple bogey on the last hole of his third round.

Six-time major winner Nick Faldo labelled Day’s attempt to go for the green from behind a tree — needing a big hook off pine straw around a bunch of trees — “one of the craziest decisions I’ve ever seen”.

Day’s shot ended up in a shrub, requiring a penalty drop en route to an eight.

“It wasn’t the way I planned that 18th hole,” Day said after finishing up yesterday. “I’ll chalk it up to making a better decision next time. But, with [then leader] Kevin Kisner in the middle of the fairway, my hand was forced a bit. You don’t want to be too far back going into the last round.

“I was trying to hit a low hook and I slipped a little bit. Nine times out of 10, I’ve got that shot.”

World No. 14 Thomas, so often compared with childhood friend and fellow 24-year-old Jordan Spieth, stepped from his shadow by winning yesterday.

Thomas started the final round two shots off the pace but stormed home with a three-underpar 68 for an eight-under total of 276. Francesco Molinari (67), American Patrick Reed (67) and 2010 British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen (70) were joint runners-up.

Marc Leishman signed off with a 67 to share 13th at even-par, while Adam Scott’s 71 left him at eightover and tied for 61st.