Day’s encouraging form continues when 3rd at American Express
Jason Day – file photo courtesy of PGA of Australia
Jason Day has finished in a share of 3rd place at the American Express Championship in La Quinta, his best finish in now four visits to the event but he had numerous chances over the closing round to put pressure on the eventual and impressive winner, Sepp Straka.
Day began the final round four shots behind Straka but despite an early birdie it took some time for his round to catch fire. He birdied holes 8, 9 and 11 to remain four back but with Straka seemingly incapable of making a mistake he would need something special over the closing few holes if he was to bridge the gap.
Unfortunately for Day he would bogey the 14th and although he had his chances especially through holes 15, 16 and 17 he reached the last three behind and it was a case of the bridge being too far.
Day bogeyed the last hole to fall back into a share of 3rd place with Justin Lower, three behind runner-up Justin Thomas and three from the winner.
Day’s play throughout the week however gave rise to some great holes over the next few weeks, especially given a return to next week’s venue at Torrey Pines where he has twice won the Farmers Insurance event and been once runner-up in addition to winning a World Junior event there as an amateur.
“I hit it very nice. A lot of the stuff that I was working on has definitely carried over, which is good, definitely, from Sentry, and just work out the putting. I feel like I gave myself a lot of opportunities out there, I’m a good putter, so I just didn’t capitalize on the opportunities.
“I could tell that something was off when the initial hit of the putts I could hear the putts jumping, so when you hear like kind of, it’s not like a skid, it’s like more of a (makes noise) like that, that’s when it’s difficult to control speed.
“When it’s jumping around a little bit, it’s difficult to get the correct speed, and then obviously when you don’t have the correct speed, then it’s hard to hole the putts. I could probably do a better job of painting a better picture before I hit the shot too, just being able to see the putt go in a little bit better.
“Overall, very happy with the week, yeah, good start to the year, so just moving to Torrey Pines.”
Day has had his family with him this week staying in their luxurious bus and Day enjoys having the family with him.
“It’s definitely nice to have them on the road. We’re very fortunate to be able to travel in a bus together, very fortunate to be able to home school, so that we can have them out there.
“Hat’s off to my wife, because she does all that work. It can get lonely out here, and that’s why I think if they were at home I probably wouldn’t play too long, you know, just because I wouldn’t be able to see my kids grow up, and then I just don’t like being on the road by myself, so I’m very fortunate to be able to have them on the road with me.”
Day earns a cheque for US$519,000.
Cam Davis raced into contention with an opening nine 30, but his closing nine of 39 included a double bogey at the last and he finished in a share of 18th.
