After scoring a record-breaking 20 under par for a Major tournament, Jason Day secured victory in the 2015 US PGA golf tournament on Sunday and thus ending the hopes of Jordan Spieth of winning three Majors in one season. Spieth finished second but would argue that a 71 on the first day, when the wind was blowing at its strongest, probably cost him the opportunity of claiming overall victory but with each of his four rounds totalling less than 70 strokes, Day emerged as the more consistent golfer over the four days.
Australian Day has never previously won one of golfing Major tournaments but has finished second on three occasions with runners-up positions in both the 2011 and 2013 US Open and he also was denied by South African Charl Schwartzel in the 2011 US Masters after participating at the tournament for the first time. Only four previous professional victories have been registered by Day prior to this win at Whistling Straits but clinching the Canadian Open and just failing in the British equivalent during July did suggest that Day was at peak form for this event.
Day was always in contention at the front of the PGA leaderboard even from the very first day when he recorded a 68 to finish at 4 under par and two strokes behind opening day leader Dustin Johnson. The American had led the 2015 British Open during the opening two rounds only to fade later and his challenge evaporated on day two during which he could only card a 76 as a storm caused a suspension in play. Day and fellow Aussie Matt Jones led the field at 9 under par when the weather halted proceedings but on the resumption of play, Jones edged into a two shot lead with Spieth improving on his opening day 71 with a 67 to be five shots adrift of the leader and three behind Day.
It was the turn of Jones to move out of serious contention on day three as Day established a two stroke lead ahead of Spieth and it was a gap which the 2015 US Masters and US Open could never quite close on the final day and he will probably be rueing that first day round when faced with the more inclement weather. Indeed a four putt green at the eighth hole in his final round in the British Open plus his late start in that opening round on Thursday may have ultimately cost Spieth the opportunity of winning the golfing grand slam.
Yet nobody can deny Day his moment of glory as he responded to the pressure of leading into the fourth day by recording seven birdies during his final round and he now rises to the number three position in the World rankings after a consistent few years in which he has regularly featured in the top ten.
Next year Jason Day at 27 years old is likely to feature once again as a leading contending in the Majors and with Jordan Spieth and a fit Rory McIlroy also set to challenge, exciting times in the golf world are awaited during 2016.
