Do or don’t, there is no more try in the majors for Jason Day
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — Jason Day is still in search of his first major win because just about every Acme package Wile E. Coyote has ever ordered has landed in his way.
At the 2011 Masters, it was a surging Charl Schwartzel. Two years later, his countryman Adam Scott was the one to break the Aussie Curse at Augusta National.
An invincible Rory McIlroy thwarted him at the Congressional U.S. Open in 2011. Vertigo did four years later, or two months ago.
A month ago, Day came up a few feet short of seizing a berth in a British Open playoff, but he just couldn’t get the 72nd birdie putt at St. Andrews over the lip.
Now, even with a two-shot edge heading into Sunday’s final round of the PGA Championship, Day still has a roadblock in his way to the Wanamaker: Jordan Spieth.
Spieth put on a show on the back nine on Saturday, making six birdies to turn in a 7-under 65 at Whistling Straits and land a spot in the final pairing along with the Aussie.
Afterward, the two-time 2015 major winner said he wasn’t leaderboard watching, but he must have a sixth sense, then, about when to put down the pedal. After Day dropped two shots with a bunker miscue at the par-4 15th to go from 16-under to 14-under, Spieth seized the opening, making birdies on the final three holes to give himself a good chance to join Ben Hogan (1953) and Tiger Woods (2000) as the only two men to win three professional majors in a season.
The 22-year-old is a big enough distraction for Day, especially since they’re playing together, but he also has to keep eyes on Martin Kaymer, who is four back and won here five years ago, and 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose (-12). Even Dustin Johnson (-9), six back and freed of the pressure to close the deal in majors from ahead, is a peripheral threat that could come quickly into view with a hot start.
However, if Day is going to win his first major championship, he’s likely going to need his best performance this week on the scorable back nine of this Pete Dye design. Day has improved his back nine score by one each day, turning in 4-under 32 on Saturday. A modest front and a 31 on the last nine in the final round, combined with the padding of a two-shot edge, may well do it.
“I haven’t won before, so that’s something that is possibly a new experience for me tomorrow,” Day said.
With a win on Sunday, Day avoids taking the Best Player Without A Major billing from Johnson, who, at this point, is thought of as a guy who isn’t going to get his first major from ahead. The scar tissue runs too deep for Johnson to dominate a major from end to end.
Then again, if Day doesn’t cash in, it’ll be the third consecutive major in which he has had at least a share of the 54-hole lead and hasn’t finished the deal. Remind you of another Aussie? Day’s year would be only one third-round major lead shy of Greg Norman’s 1986 season, where the Shark won the Saturday Slam but only walked away with one major trophy.
One major trophy. That’s all Day is looking for on Sunday. He’s been within reach enough times. Now he has to grab it.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
