After five years without a win Jason Day is on top again

Former major champion Jason Day has ended a five-year curse and is a winner again for the first time since a family tragedy.

Jason Day of Australia and wife Ellie Day celebrate after Day finished his round during the AT&T Byron Nelson Classic in Texas. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

From the wilderness back to the winner’s list, Jason Day’s golfing comeback is complete with an emotional Mother’s Day victory on the PGA Tour, his first in five years and the first since his mother’s passing.

The former world No.1 sealed an epic come-from-behind victory at the PGA Tour’s Byron Nelson Classic win with a brilliant final round of nine-under 62 to secure his one-shot triumph with his pregnant wife Ellie and four kids greenside to share in the emotion of his triumph.

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“Yeah we’ve got four and one more on the way,” Day said after the win. “It’s been a struggling few years and to be able to go, I mean five years actually since my last win. So to get the win today the way I played is really special.

“I’m very pleased and happy with how things have progressed over the last few years for me.”

Day, the 2015 PGA champion, had slumped outside the world’s top 150 golfers as he battled a variety of swing issues and injuries and dealt with the passing of his mother, Dening, after a cancer battle.

He’s signalled his arrival back as one of the world’s best this season with five top-10 finishes already in 2023, returning to the Masters where he battled with vertigo in the final round.

Jason Day is a winner again (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)

Now a week before a return to the PGA Championship, Day is finally a PGA Tour winner again securing the one-shot victory at TPC Craig Ranch in Texas with his best round of the week, making nine birdies, with no bogeys, in a brilliant Sunday performance.

“Just non-stop grinding and non-stop wanting to improve and trying to get better,” Day said when asked about his recent struggles.

“I’ve had a lot of injuries with my back and for a moment there I thought I wasn’t going to play again and just trying to get through those two years and just trying to get through a tournament was difficult.

“So to be on the other side of it, be healthy, feeling good about my game, finally winning again, no better feeling really.”

Day paid tributes to both his mum and his wife on Mother’s Day in the US.

Golf shot.@JDayGolf knocks it close in front of his family @ATTByronNelsonpic.twitter.com/6varghTQaO

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 14, 2023

“I lost my mum last year and this was kind of the first one without her. To have her name on my caddy bib was special,” he said.

“And obviously Ellie, the amount of sacrifice she does for my career, I just can’t thank her enough.

“I didn’t get her anything yet, so I need to make sure I get her something.”

Day, who also won the Byron Nelson in 2010, stood on the par-five 18th tee with a one-shot lead.

With rain pouring the 35-year-old Queenslander nailed a brilliant third-shot to just a metre from the pin, then posted a final-hole birdie to give himself a one-shot lead, after playing partner Si Woo Kim had momentarily joined Day on 22-under.

It left rookie Austin Eckroat in the final group needing to make an eagle with a putt from just off the green to force a playoff with Day.

He couldn’t do it, sparking an emotional outburst from the Aussie after his 13th PGA Tour win.

Adam Scott also made a massive last day charge carding a brilliant eight-under 63 to finish in seventh place.

Originally published as After five years without a win Jason Day is on top again