Aussie finally nails major title to gain his Day in the sun
Australian Jason Day admits another near-miss in a golf major might have broken his spirit.
Instead, rivals are pondering how many more majors 27-year-old Day will win after he set a major championship scoring record as he triumphed at the US PGA Championship yesterday.
A tearful Day’s relief was obvious as he spoke to golf writers after his victory at Whistling Straits.
“I guess you can take me off the best players without a major list now,” said Day, who followed with a heartfelt “Ding-dong the witch is dead” tweet.
Kiwi Danny Lee carded a final round even-par 72 for a mid-table finish. Lee totalled a two-under 286 which left him in a tie for 43rd, his first finish in a major after missing the cut at his three previous attempts. It continued the rise of his game, which has included a maiden tour victory and seven top-10 finishes this year.
After nine top-10 finishes in majors including three runner-up performances, Queenslander Day felt as if he had shaken a gorilla off his back when he held off Masters and US Open champion, and new world No 1 Jordan Spieth in their final grouping for a three-shot victory.
“Knowing that I had the 54-hole lead, or tied for the 54-hole lead, for the last three majors and not being able to finish, it would have been tough for me mentally to really kind of come back from that,” said new world No 3 Day.
“Even though I feel like I’m a positive person, I think that kind of in the back of my mind something would have triggered and I would have gone ‘maybe I can’t really finish it off’.”
Day’s victory’s was greeted by an outpouring of congratulations from his peers, who recognised how much he deserved it after his efforts in recent years.
Countryman Adam Scott summed it up, declaring it was just the start for Day.
“I am so impressed and proud of Jase,” said Scott.
“No one in the game is more deserving of a major. He made it look easy. There will be more to come. It is now his time.”