One of the world’s top golfers puts personal heartbreak in the back of his mind in final round.
Jason Day completed an emotional return to Australia to help deliver his country both individual and team victory in the World Cup at Royal Melbourne on Sunday.
Day captured his first-ever professional event on home soil, shooting a final-round 70 to defeat Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn (71) by two strokes for a 10-under par 274.
Adam Scott stormed home with the best round of the day, a 66, to finish third and ensure Australia beat the United States to win the team title for the first time in 24 years.
Day came into the event with the tragic news of the death in the Philippines of his grandmother, six young cousins and an uncle at the hands of Typhoon Haiyan.
His Filipino-born mother, Dening, was in Melbourne to watch her son outlast Bjorn, who bogeyed the last as Day sunk a par to earn the US$1.2 million winners’ cheque.
American Matt Kuchar (278) finished fourth in the individual event with Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa (281) coming fifth.
With Scott also firing, the home duo’s combined 17-under total was 10 shots clear of the second-placed United States, the defending champions. Denmark and Japan tied for third.
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