Day could have folded Sunday because of the weight of expectations that accompany six top-five finishes in majors since 2011. His combined score of 54-under beat Tiger Woods’ previous record of 53-under set in 2000, perhaps his most dominant year. But those lessons in defeat played a role in Sunday’s outcome, when Day withstood the challenge put forth from Jordan Spieth and earned the biggest victory of his life.
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“I knew walking up the 16th Jason was going to win so I was focusing on finishing second and accomplishing a career goal”.
“So just to be able to sit in front of you guys today and think about those stories, it gets me emotional knowing that I’m the PGA Champion now and it feels good“. “Just to be able to finish the way I did was wonderful”. “I just couldn’t stop crying”.
What a journey for the 27-year-old Australian.
Day shared the win and hugs with his pregnant wife, Ellie, and the couple’s son, Dash.
Day went into the final round of this year’s US Open and the Open Championship with a share of the lead before failing to kick on for victory. If Dustin’s goes in at the U.S. Open… Not even close.
Having started the final round with a two-shot lead, Day admitted he needed to get the job done or potentially perish as a contender, and he responded by shooting a gritty 67 to Spieth’s 68.
By 2010 he was a US PGA Tour victor and now, after several close calls, he is a major champion.
His 50-foot birdie putt at the seventh capped a burst of three straight birdies.
He wasn’t getting any arguments from McIlroy, who said he’d let everyone know at the end of the week who he felt was No. 1.
He reached 20-under for good with a two-putt birdie from the fringe at the par-five 16th. But he’s not sure it would have mattered.
Finally, deliverance day arrived for Jason Day! By closing with a 68, he finished with a 54-under total in this year’s majors, one better than the mark set by Woods in 2000.
Considered the best player in the tournament, Spieth did not seem to had the right formula in going against Day but he still remained on top of new world rankings.
Day led by two overnight, and he stole a march on Spieth with a birdie at the second before the young Texan hit back at the next only to make his first mistake of the round at the fourth to hand back the initiative.
Each year, 20 club pros get into the PGA. Woods was 21 when he became No. 1 in just his 21st tournament. It’s an unbelievable feeling. He could easily have gone off the rails, drinking when he was 12, but Swatton guided him through those hard years and the pair came out of the other side even closer. “What a year it’s been”. In the penultimate group, Grace edged Rose into third by a stroke on 15 under. He closed with a 70 and was fourth.
“Easy a loss as I’ve ever had”, Spieth said.
Spieth had played his way into second place Saturday with a 7-under 65.
McIlroy made a solid return from an ankle injury that kept him out since the U.S. Open.
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“The way Jordan has been playing and the way I haven’t played much this year… if he goes to number one today, it’s very deservedly so”, said McIlroy, who walked off the course 90 minutes before the last putts fell.
