Jason Day – Photo courtesy of PGA Tour/Jamie Squire (Getty Images)
It was just weeks ago that Jason Day collapsed at the U.S. Open because of Vertigo. He had the 54-hole lead for the second straight Major and for the second straight time, couldn’t hold it together.
Sunday at Whistling Straits, Day would enter the final round of the 97th PGA Championship with the 54-hole lead. This time he would hang on and pull away, holding off Jordan Spieth to pull out a 3-shot win. He shot a 5-under par 67 and broke the 72-hole major championship scoring record with a 20-under-par 268. He can no longer be labeled the best golfer without a major.
Day made seven birdies and just two bogeys and was dominant with his driver all day. On the par-5 eleventh hole, Spieth’s drive went 302 yards. When he walked up to his ball, he could see that Day’s drive was another 80 yards up ahead.
“We’ve played a lot of major championship rounds together and that was the best I’ve ever seen him play,” said Spieth.
Spieth entered the week having won the 2015 Masters and U.S. Open. He was trying to win all three majors on American soil in the same year but fell just short. Spieth did accomplish a major goal though. With Rory McIlroy finishing in 17th place, Spieth took over the top spot in the World Golf Rankings. It’s a position that McIlroy had held for 53 consecutive weeks.
“I accomplished one of my lifelong goals in the sport of golf,” Spieth said. “that will never be taken away from me now. I’ll always be a No. 1 player in the world.”
Day’s 20-under par total is one better than the previous low total in a major of 19-under, set by Tiger Woods at the British Open.
Now we’ll what this win does for Day. He is the skill to win “Multiple Majors”, but he’s also playing alongside some of the best in golf (Spieth and McIlroy). All three together, have combined to win five of the last six majors.
AUDIO: Jason Day on finally winning a Major :19
AUDIO: Day on getting to a Major Record 20-under-par
AUDIO: Day says he had to win at the Straits :22