KOHLER, Wisconsin, (Reuters) – Australia’s Jason Day held his nerve to end five years of close calls at the majors with an emotional breakthrough victory by three shots over American Jordan Spieth at the PGA Championship yesterday.
World number five Day, two ahead of Spieth overnight, never relinquished his lead as he closed with a five-under-par 67 on a blustery afternoon of hazy sunshine at Whistling Straits to post a major record low of 20-under 268.
The previous best at a major was the 19-under total of 269 recorded by Tiger Woods when he triumphed by eight shots in the 2000 British Open at St. Andrews.
Day fended off the challenge of Spieth, who had been bidding for a rare third major victory in the same year, with four birdies in the first seven holes, followed by three more after the turn.
The 27-year-old Australian, who had previously recorded nine top-10 finishes in the majors — six of them in the top four — had to wipe tears from his eyes before he tapped in a par putt from just one feet on the 18th green.
