Jason Day wins Byron Nelson to finish five-year drought with late mom in thoughts
McKINNEY, Texas — Jason Day didn’t make the Mom’s Day connection till he noticed his late mother’s title on the again of his caddie’s bib on the primary inexperienced through the ultimate spherical of the Byron Nelson.
That was simply another reason for the feelings to movement over the Australian’s first victory in 5 years.
Day shot 9-under 62 for a one-shot victory over Austin Eckroat and Si Woo Kim on Sunday, ending a drought tormented by well being points that overlapped with Dening Day’s lengthy battle with lung most cancers earlier than her demise a bit greater than a yr in the past.
“It was very emotional to undergo and to expertise what she was going by way of, then I had accidents on prime of all of that happening in my life,” Day mentioned. “It feels unusual to be sitting right here.”
Day, winless in 105 begins for the reason that 2018 Wells Fargo, took his first outright lead from a big group of contenders when he broke a tie at 20 below with hometown favourite Scottie Scheffler with a chip-in for birdie on the par-4 twelfth.
It was the second-toughest gap of the week after being transformed from a par-5 from the primary two years the Nelson was held at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, about 30 miles north of Dallas.
Day completed 23 below whereas ending his victory drought the week earlier than the PGA Championship. The one main among the many 35-year-old’s 13 wins was the 2015 PGA.
Day’s first profession PGA Tour victory got here on the 2010 Nelson, and the victories stored coming till points his again and vertigo had him on the verge of leaving the sport in recent times.
“To be on the opposite facet of it, be wholesome, feeling good about my sport, lastly profitable once more,” Day mentioned. “No higher feeling, actually.”
C.T. Pan completed at 21-under 263 with two eagles on the again 9 in a career-low 62, driving the inexperienced on the par-4 14th and making a 24-foot putt. His eagle on the par-5 18th acquired him inside a shot of Day.
Scheffler completed at 20 below with a final-round 65 after a par on 18, the place a day earlier his second shot hit the lip of a fairway bunker and stayed in it on the best way to a bogey.
The 2022 Masters winner was taking part in for the primary time in a month coming off this yr’s Masters and the RBC Heritage. He had the hometown highlight to himself after three-time main winner Jordan Spieth withdrew due to a wrist damage.
“I really feel like I performed strong,” Scheffler mentioned. “The issues that I needed to enhance on over the past three weeks, I really feel like I did a great job. I didn’t swing it my greatest this weekend, however I’m certain that’ll be a straightforward repair going into subsequent week.”
Ryan Palmer, the 46-year-old Texan who lives not removed from Craig Ranch, shot 68 and completed 4 strokes again whereas making an attempt to change into the oldest PGA Tour winner since Phil Mickelson received the 2021 PGA at 50.
With the heaviest rain coming down close to the tip of an off-and-on wet ultimate spherical, Day put his method at 18 inside 3 ft. Kim’s brief birdie putt compelled Day to make his straightforward tap-in earlier than he greeted his youngsters and spouse, who’s anticipating their fifth baby.
Kim, who shot 63 and was 22 below with Eckroat, was making an attempt to make it 4 consecutive South Korean winners on the Nelson. Two-time defending champion Okay.H. Lee completed 11 below after a 67, his greatest spherical of the week.
Sung Kang was the 2019 winner. The Nelson was canceled due to the pandemic in 2020.
Eckroat, a 24-year-old rookie from Oklahoma looking for his first tour victory, was two pictures again within the 18th fairway, however his method landed 68 ft from the pin. The eagle bid was 6 ft brief as Eckroat settled for a 65.
Day started the ultimate spherical two pictures again and was a part of a six-way tie for the lead with the ultimate group about to make the flip. 9 gamers have been inside a shot of the lead across the similar time.
“I appeared on gap 9 and noticed I don’t know what number of guys, however 10, 15 guys had an opportunity to win realistically, and it was loopy,” Eckroat mentioned. “You’re simply making an attempt to stand up there, and it was enjoyable to get some separation on the finish and see if you happen to may get an opportunity to win.”
China’s Marty Dou, taking part in on his dwelling course and likewise looking for his first tour win whereas taking part in within the ultimate group with Eckroat and Palmer, shot 67 to complete 20 below. Dou was the primary to succeed in that mark earlier than a double-bogey on No. 8 when his second shot went out of bounds over the inexperienced.
Scheffler, the second-ranked participant who may have overtaken Jon Rahm for No. 1 with a victory, was joined at 20 below by Tyrrell Hatton, who was subsequent on the world rating listing within the Nelson subject at No. 17.