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

After slipping outside the top 150, former major champion Jason Day’s is a winner again for the first time since his mother’s death.

Jason Day savours a ‘special’ win. Picture: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

Jason Day was “very close to calling it quits” and had resigned himself to being satisfied with his achievements as he battled back injuries, swing issues and the illness and eventual death of his mother.

As the major champion and former world No.1 slumped to 164 in the world halfway through 2022, there didn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel.

But the women in his life have always had a stirring impact on the now 35-year-old father of four, soon to be father of five, and the support of his wife, Ellie, and his mother before her death last year gave Day the right encouragement to push on and refind his best.

Finally, on Mother’s Day, the journey from the wilderness back to the winner’s list, after 1834 days, was completed in an emotional victory at the Byron Nelson Classic, a full-circle moment for Day whose maiden PGA Tour win came in the same event.

Ellie Day and her children on the 18th green. Picture: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images/AFP

Day carded a flawless and brilliant final round of nine-under 62 in rainy conditions in Texas to secure his one-shot triumph, with his caddie carrying his mum Dening’s name on his bib and his pregnant wife Ellie and four kids on-course to share in the emotion.

“I was in tears for a little bit there, and to think about what my mom went through from 2017 on to her passing last year and then to know that … it was very emotional to go through and to experience what she was going through, then I had injuries on top of all of that going on in my life,” Day said after his first win since 2018.

“To be honest, I was very close to calling it quits. I never told my wife that, but I was OK with it just because it was a very stressful part of my life.

“Ellie, she never gave up on me trying to get back to the winner‘s circle again. She just always was pushing me to try and get better.

“It feels strange to be sitting here. I don’t know how else to explain it. To go through what I went through and then to be able to be a winner again … and I know that there’s been a lot of very hard work behind the scenes that a lot of people haven’t seen.

Jason Day and Ellie celebrate with a kiss. Picture: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

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

“But that’s just the competition part of the journey and trying to strive to get better. It’s nice to be able to get my 13th win.”

Day, who collected $2.6m for his victory, said the significance of wining on Mother’s Day was not lost on him as he paid tribute to the two women who had shaped his life.

“It didn’t hit me until I looked at my caddie and he had his back to me on the first green, and I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s my mom’s name’,” he said.

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

Day 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.

Day is a winner again. Picture: 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.

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 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.

Day hugs his mum Dening in 2013.

Adam Scott also made a massive last-day charge, carding a brilliant eight-under 63 to finish in eighth place, another solid show of form heading into the second major of the year.

The veteran was confident a “good thing will happen” if he can string four rounds together at the PGA this week but was equally enthused by what lies ahead for Day.

“He’s obviously set out and really worked hard on his golf swing the last couple years, and he’s stayed incredibly patient, I think, and chipped away at it and got it to a place where he may not say he’s not satisfied, but it’s looking pretty good,” Scott said.

“The validation of sticking with it, I think, is something at this point that he’ll take a lot out of, and when you’re as talented as Jason, the sky’s the limit, once the confidence comes through winning like that.”