Day’s tough life journey finally leads to Major win

Kohler (USA), August 17

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Bruised but toughened by a difficult childhood, Australia’s Jason Day endured several close calls at the Majors before finally landing one with a three-shot victory at the PGA Championship.

The 27-year-old from Rockhampton in Queensland led from start to finish in the final round, closing with a 67 before savouring the celebrations with his caddie and long-time coach, Colin Swatton.

“The path that I was on, it was never expected for me to be here where I was today,” an emotional Day said.

“I lose my dad at 12, and then meet Colin and have him walk the journey with me and have him walk up the 18th hole with me was just a special, special thing, that I could never forget.”

Day’s road to Major champion was a long and difficult one. By his own admission, he went “off the rails a little bit” after his father died of cancer.

He began drinking alcohol and getting into fights at school, convincing his mother that drastic action was needed. She sold the family home and sent him to Kooralbyn, a boarding school in Queensland whose alumni included Australia’s first Masters champion Adam Scott and Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman. It was there that Day met Swatton, who quickly became a father figure to the young Australian as well as his coach. “To have Colin on the bag at the first Major win, walking up 18, knowing that I’ve got the trophy, it was just hard,” said Day. “I was trying to hold back the tears.

“Me and Col have been working so hard on the swing, especially over the last few weeks, and the driving, it propelled me to win this week. If I didn’t drive as long and as straight as I did, there’s no chance I would have won.”

Tiger inspiration

Unlike most Australian golfers who were inspired by Greg Norman, Day’s idol was Tiger Woods. When he was a teenager, Day read a book about Woods and decided to copy his high work ethic, spending hours on the practice range.

The pair have since become friends and Woods was among the first to congratulate Day after his win, tweeting: “very happy for Jason. Great dude and well deserved.”

Day moved to the US and turned professional in 2006, winning on the second-tier Nationwide tour in 2007. — Reuters