One errant shot cruelled Jason Day’s makes an attempt to start out 2024 with a win however his ambitions to take his profession resurgence to the following degree and push for a protracted keep among the many world’s greatest gamers stays.
Having declared himself as wholesome as he’s been in years with an eye fixed on a return to world No.1, Day was one shot off the lead on the first PGA Tour occasion of the yr in Hawaii when he missed the inexperienced on the par three eighth and despatched his ball in to the scrub.
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He might solely handle a double-bogey which despatched him tumbling down the leaderboard as gamers went on a birdie blitz at Kapalua together with Korea’s Sungjae Im who set a brand new tour document for probably the most birdies in a 72-hole occasion.
However his 32 birdies throughout the 4 rounds, together with 10 on the ultimate day, breaking the document of 32 set by a trio of gamers together with Jon Rahm final yr and Australian Paul Gow in 2001, wasn’t sufficient for the win win as Chris Kirk secured a one-shot win and a cool $AUD5.4 million pay day.
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Day, who’s as soon as once more Australia’s highest ranked participant after a return to the winner’s circle in 2023, discovered one other 4 birdies himself on his again 9 to complete tenth, five-shots behind Kirk, having declared a wholesome physique might take him a great distance this yr.
“Yeah, it’s a great way to start out the yr. I simply can’t assist however really feel grateful to have the ability to play this recreation, and be right here wholesome and having fun with golf, which is an effective factor,” he stated.
“I nonetheless need to compete and play properly and try to win this match. So, three extra days to go, however I really feel very fortunate to be right here.
“I nonetheless get hiccups once in a while nonetheless. For probably the most half, yeah, by my No. 1 years (in 2015), I used to be in a whole lot of ache, however sort of simply, I did — I sucked it up and simply pushed by the ache. Which was, like, nice, however it was, like, very brief.
“So, hopefully, this time getting again there I can keep there for lots longer than what I did.”
Day can also be set to leap from his spot as world No.19, which makes him the best ranked Australian after Cameron Smith fell to No.25.
It was an in any other case eventful day throughout the sector, together with one wild meltdown from Brendon Todd.
The American suffered a second of insanity when he snapped his driver in a match of rage after a wayward tee shot.
It was not the best second for Todd to lose his head as he broke his driver when he was sitting fairly at 21 beneath, that means he needed to end the ultimate spherical with out the membership.
FINAL LEADERBOARD AT THE SENTRY
1st: Chris Kirk -29
2nd: Sahith Theegala -28
third: Jordan Speith -27
4th: Byeong Hun An -26
T10: Jason Day -24