Sunday, November 24, 2013

World Cup of Golf: Australia's Jason Day Earns Individual and Team Glory in Melboure

5:17 AM

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Jason Day delivered both individual and team victory for Australia in the World Cup of Golf at Royal Melbourne.
 
Day closed out his first win on home soil with a one-under 70 in the final round for a 10-under-par total - and two-shot margin over Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.
 
It was an emotional success for the 26-year-old, who came into the event dealing with the death in the Philippines of his grandmother, six young cousins and an uncle at the hands of Typhoon Haiyan.
 
His Filipino-born mother, Dening, was in Melbourne to watch her son outlast Bjorn, who bogeyed the last as Day sunk a par to earn the $1.2 million winners' cheque.
 
"It's just been an amazing tournament for me," Day said. "My mother, my family, coming down to support me. I'm just so happy the hard work has paid off, and I'm glad it happened in Melbourne.
"The biggest thing right now is to know that I just didn't give up. It would have been the easiest thing for me to just go ahead and pull out of the tournament with what has been going on over the last week - just to be up there with my mum and support her.
 
"But I really wanted to come down here and play with Adam (Scott) and really try to win the World Cup and we achieved that which was great."

Rollercoaster

Overnight leader by a stroke from Bjorn, Day traded two bogeys and two birdies in his first five holes before charging clear of his playing partner when he holed an approach on the first bounce for an eagle on the short par-four sixth.
 
That put him four strokes ahead the Queenslander stumbled on the par-four 10th with a double-bogey after hitting into scrub left of the fairway.
 
Bjorn pounced to claw back a share of the lead with birdies at the 11th and 13th, the latter courtesy of a delightful approach shot that settled a foot from the pin.
 
The 42-year-old Dane was left to rue a wayward tee-shot on the tricky par-four 16th, however, that landed in the woods right of the fairway and led to a bogey.
 
Day also wobbled, pushing his approach into a wide greenside bunker but pulled off a brilliant up-and-down, landing his recovery about seven feet from the pin and draining the tough downhill putt to take a one-stroke lead with two holes to play.
 
And Bjorn's challenge ended decisively with a wayward approach on the par-four 18th that led to a bogey, allowing Day the luxury of a pressure-free par-putt to clinch the win.
Team domination
Adam Scott stormed home with a best-of-the-day 66 to finish third on seven under and ensure Australia beat second-placed United States by 10 shots to win the team title for the first time in 24 years.
American Matt Kuchar (71) finished fourth in the individual event on six under.

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