Day's brilliant last round falls short in US
IN: News | Nationwide | Fort Smith Classic (2007) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 07 May 2007
19-year-old Jason Day today produced a final round of 62 at the Fort Smith Classic in Arkansas, which carried him from an overnight 33rd place to fourth, his best finish of the season and his best finish as a professional golfer.
Day bogeyed the last hole which cost him a chance to place the upmost pressure on the eventual winner, veteran Jay Williamson, who himself was putting together an impressive final round of 63 to win his first ever tournament on either the Nationwide or PGA Tour.
Day started the final day more than two hours before the final pairing was due to tee off and over an hour before Williamson so a birdie at the last might well have seen him as the eventual champion but perhaps adrenalin or perhaps the quest for one more birdie saw him three putt the final hole from 20 feet for bogey.
“I had nothing to lose today and everything to gain,” Day told PGA Tour. “I wanted to win this one bad. The Nationwide Tour teaches you how to win, and I feel like I have the game to win out here soon. But this week I made too many mistakes. The best players in the world aren’t making as many mistakes as I am right now.”
His turn will come and come soon. Day moves to 27th on the Nationwide Tour money list in a year where 25 players will now gain PGA Tour status in 2008.
For 40-year-old Williamson it was a momentous day after so long as a fringe player on the PGA Tour. His best previous finish was when twice runner up in Nike Tour events in 1998. He has played the PGA Tour on a regular basis and is now well placed to get back onto that tour in 2008.
Matthew Jones was the only other Australian to make the cut finishing 17th while New Zealander Michael Long was 27th.
