The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Day quits to be with mum
Golf: Surprise defeat for McIlroy as Inverness player opens with victory
Defending champion Jason Day was in tears after withdrawing from the WGC-Dell Technologies match play in Austin, Texas last night in order to be with his mother as she undergoes treatment for lung cancer.
Day was three down after six holes of his opening match against Pat Perez when he conceded and walked off the course, prompting speculation that he had suffered another injury.
However, the 29-year-old Australian then told a hastily-arranged press conference that he had found it impossible to focus on golf due to his mother Dening’s struggle with lung cancer.
“My back is fine, I’m 100% healthy,” Day said. “My mum’s been here (the United States) for a while and she has lung cancer. At the start of the year she was diagnosed with 12 months to live. The diagnosis is much better being over here, she’s going into surgery on Friday and it’s really hard to even comprehend being on a golf course right now.
“She had all the tests done in Australia and the doctors said she was terminal and she only had 12 months to live. I’m glad I brought her here because of it. It’s been really hard to play golf this year. It’s been very emotional.”
Day, who was 12 years old when his father died from stomach cancer, added: “I’ve already gone through it once with my dad and I know how it feels and it’s hard enough to see another one go through it as well. As of now I’m going to try and be back there with my mum for surgery. I’ve pulled out this week. I’m just hoping for a speedy recovery for her and we can get this behind us.”
The circumstances behind Day's withdrawal overshadowed the day’s play, which saw Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Danny Willett all beaten.
McIlroy looked to be on course for victory against Soren Kjeldsen when he overturned a two-hole deficit with three birdies in a row from the 11th, only for the Dane to birdie the next four holes to win 2 and 1. Two-time major winner Jordan Spieth won just one hole before losing 4 and 2 to Japan’s Hideto Tanihara, while Masters champion Willett’s recent struggles continued as he lost to Korea’s KT Kim by the same score. Inverness player Russell Knox made a positive start to his title bid by beating American Bill Haas 3 and2. Andy Murray is to undergo tests after his withdrawal from the Miami Open.
The world number one pulled out of this week’s Masters series tournament on Saturday because of a right elbow injury.
Murray has stayed in Miami, where he has a second home, but will fly back to London where he will have tests on his elbow.
The Scot has been told to rest for the next week or so, with Murray understood also to be a little under the weather.
Murray was diagnosed with shingles after his shock fourth-round exit from the Australian Open in January but insisted he was fully recovered when he returned to action in Dubai in February. He won that tournament but then suffered another surprise defeat by Canada’s Vasek Pospisil in his first match in Indian Wells this month.
Despite Murray’s difficult start to the season, he has extended his lead at the top of the rankings because of the struggles of main rival Novak Djokovic.
It now seems highly unlikely that Murray will take part in Great Britain’s Davis Cup quarter-final against France in Rouen in two weeks.
Meanwhile, Dan Evans was hit with a point penalty for swearing as he crashed out of the Miami Open to American qualifier Ernesto Escobedo. The British number two was penalised midway through the deciding set as he slipped to a 7-5, 0-6, 6-3 defeat.
Aljaz Bedene was down 7-5, 4-0 to German Lennard Struff when he retired.
Heather Watson tumbled out to Romanian qualifier Patricia Maria Tig 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.