Hard work finally pays off for Day with second PGA Tour win
Jason Day had heard all the criticism, that a player of his undoubted talent should have won a lot more than just one PGA Tour title even though he is just 26.
|Last Updated: Feb 24, 2014, 08:54 AM IST|Source: Reuters
Los Angeles: Jason Day had heard all the criticism, that a player of his undoubted talent should have won a lot more than just one PGA Tour title even though he is just 26.
It felt like a long time coming but finally, on Sunday at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, the Australian secured his second victory on the U.S. circuit by beating Frenchman Victor Dubuisson after 23 holes.
"I`ve worked very, very hard in the off-season," Day told reporters after knocking in a four-foot birdie putt to clinch a one-up win in the title match at Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona.
"I`ve worked very hard on my physical fitness and mental fitness and it certainly paid off this week at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
"It feels like it`s been a long time coming since my last win. I`ve heard things in the media saying he`s only got one win."
Day`s maiden PGA Tour victory came at the 2010 Byron Nelson Championship, and he had come very close to adding a second before this week and made a habit of performing at his best when the pressure was at its most intense.
Since he turned professional in 2006, he has recorded six top-10s at the majors, including three runner-up spots.
In November, he won the coveted World Cup of Golf by two strokes at Royal Melbourne, along with the team title in partnership with Adam Scott.
"I`ve had a lot of consistent finishes in big events and obviously I said to myself I`ve got to keep working hard and work, work, work, work, work smart," said Day.
"As long as I don`t give up and keep pushing through, it (a win) will happen again, and hopefully happen in bunches.
"It took me nearly three years, I guess. I got my second win finally. But just that hard work has paid off."
Day became the second Australian to win the Match Play title following Geoff Ogilvy, who triumphed in 2006 and 2009.
Asked whether he had been at all disappointed with the progress of his career, Day replied: "No, no, no. A career is very long in golf.
"You see guys like Adam Scott, Justin Rose winning major championships in their early 30s. You see guys winning in their 20s like Rory and Tiger.
"The biggest thing for myself is just to understand I`m not Rory (McIlroy). I`m not Tiger (Woods). I`m not Adam Scott. I`m not Justin Rose," he added.
"I`m Jason Day. And I need to do the work and it will happen, I`ve just got to be patient."
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.