WASHINGTON (AFP) — Australian Jason Day clinched his first PGA Tour victory in over five years on Sunday, winning the Byron Nelson tournament with a nine-under-par 62 at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.
The 35-year-old had not won since the Wells Fargo Championship in May of 2018 but his birdie on the par-5final hole earned him a one-stroke win over South Korea’s Kim Si-woo and American Austin Eckroat.
Day’s first-ever win on the PGA Tour had come in the same tournament 13 years ago, albeit at a different venue in suburban Dallas.
“It’s been a struggling few years, five years since our last win. The way I played today was really special. I’m very pleased and happy with how things have progressed over the last couple of years — 1,835 days to be exact,” he said.
Day, whose late mother hails from Tacloban, Leyte, finished 23-under for the week as he ended a run of 105 starts without a win.
Day said battling against a back injury had hampered his form but that his determination had helped him get back to his best.
“Just non-stop grinding and non-stop wanting to improve and to try and get better. A lot of injuries with my back… just trying to get through those three years, just trying to get through a tournament was difficult,” he said.
“So, to be on the other side of it, to be healthy…really winning again. It’s so good to be on the other side,” he said.
Pan Cheng Tsung of Taiwan matched Day’s final round with a superb, career-low 62 to finish in fourth place on 21-under.
He finished his round in superb style — driving the green on the 305-yard par-4 14th and sinking a 24-footer for eagle and then he made another eagle on the 18th brought him within a shot of Day.
After his disappointing third-round 71, world number two Scottie Scheffler had threatened, reaching the turn with four birdies, but he had to settle for a share of fifth place after missing a simple birdie putt on the last.
Scheffler will now turn his thoughts to the PGA Championship at Oak Hill next week where Day will be looking for a repeat of his only major success, in the 2015 PGA at Whistling Straits.
