Victorious Jason Day gets Masters boost

JASON Day has put his name back in the frame as a favourite for the Masters, after coming back from a stumbling start to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational by one stroke.

Leading the trio of Henrik Stenson, Kevin Chappell and Troy Merritt by two shots heading into the final round, Day’s advantage was quickly out to three strokes with a pitch-in birdie from short of the green at the par-3 2nd hole.

Jason Day hits a brilliant shot from a green side bunker on the 18th green to set up par and claim his win.
PHOTO: Chris Trotman/Getty Images.

But he started to back up to the field with bogies at the 3rd and then the par-5s at the 4^th and 6^th holes. His two-shot lead was gone by the 9^th hole, but he managed to stay in the hunt there with a beautiful 9-iron out of the rough that settled a foot from the hole for a tap-in birdie.

The US PGA Champion moved back under par with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 12^th hole and grabbed a share of the lead with Chappell and Stenson. But Day’s best was yet to come.

FINAL LEADERBOARD

On the 221-yard par-3 17^th, Day flushed a 5-iron over the water and sand to 12 feet and made the birdie putt, which would ultimately set up his victory.

“I was thinking, Don’t panic, be patient with yourself, and when you get that opening like I did on 17, make sure you take it,” said Day of the closing stages to his final round.

Despite finding the right rough with his drive on the 18^th hole, Day took the water out of play with his second shot approach, which finished finished in the back left bunker. The 28-year-old then played a superb escape from the sand, which came to rest four feet from the cup. He rolled the putt in for his par, a closing round of 70 and his eighth PGA Tour victory.

Day stops to shake hands with the great Arnold Palmer following his final round.
PHOTO: Chris Trotman/Getty Images.

“I could not think of anything else other than trying to get that thing up and down,” smiled Day, who managed to get up-and-down successfully 19 times out of 26 during the four rounds. “When it came out I knew that it was a good shot. I hit it great. It was exactly what I wanted to do.

“I didn't want to spin it too much, I didn't want it to check. I wanted to make sure it landed on the green and ran down to the hole. I was more nervous over the putt than the bunker shot.”

The Queenslander, who rises one spot to No.2 in the world rankings with this victory, said he was so happy to be back in the winner’s circle again after his last victory nearly six months ago.

“It was a very, very rewarding win today. I was out of sorts on the front side and bogeying two on the front side where I was actually playing really well the par-5s this week,” Day said. “I was hitting shots and didn't know where anyone of my iron shots were going. The only thing that I was a little bit comfortable with was my driver.

VIDEO: FINAL ROUND HIGHLIGHTS

“Lot of emotions and feelings I haven't dealt with ever since the BMW last year. That's a long time to take a lot of those, to miss those winning feelings and it was great to be able to be in contention, great to feel those competitive juices flowing.”

As Day made his way to the scoring area, he stopped to shake the 86-year-old Palmer’s hand. He said he thanked Palmer for what he had done for the game. The trophy ceremony followed, but those few moments with Palmer were Day’s best compensation.

Day said that for years he had watched his fellow competitors, including Tiger Woods, an eight-time champion who has become a mentor, have their royal audiences with Palmer.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Day said, adding, “Just very pleased to be able to shake his hand.”

For his win, Day collected a winner’s cheque for US$1.134 million, a navy blue jacket and the coveted silverware bearing the tournament host’s name. For Day though, the handshake with Arnold Palmer was the most treasured moment of his win.

Having holed the winning putt, Day started making his way to the scoring area but stopped to shake hands with the 86-year-old Palmer, who was sitting in a golf cart beside the 18^th green.

“I just thanked him for what he's done to the game and what he's done for us as players,” Day recounted.

'The King' has a laugh as Day holds up his son, Dash, to kiss the trophy.
PHOTO: Chris Trotman/Getty Images.

“It's obviously very quick and brief but to be able to walk up there and in the past be able to watch people walk up there and have that special moment with the King, it's something that I've always wanted to do and especially watching Tiger in the past do it a lot.

“I've wanted to do that and it's great to be able to finally do that and on a golf course where it is tough, it is one of those tournaments that, you know, the biggest guys usually win and just very pleased to shake his hand.”

Day’s victory was the first wire-to-wire win at Bay Hill since Fred Couples in 1992 and completed a four-tournament Florida swing domination by Australians, with Adam Scott winning the WGC Cadillac Championship and Honda Classic earlier this month. Scott finished strongly at the Arnold Palmer too, grabbing a share of 12^th place with a final round 69 to be nine under.

Both Scott and Day are in a rich vein of form heading into the year’s first major, and while Day admits it is good to have a win so close to the Masters, he is remaining patient about Augusta.

“I don't wish it started tomorrow,” he laughed. “I need some rest. I'm actually … I'm really tired. I wish it started in a week after the Match Play but, no, it's great to finally get this win.

“I've been talking about it since the start of the year, everyone is asking what's going on, why aren't you playing that great. It's a process.

“I just want to kind of stick to what I've been working on and be patient with myself and the process finally paid off this week.”

The PGA Tour heads west to Texas this week for the WGC Dell World Match Play, where Rory McIlroy will defend the title he won last year in San Francisco.