Jason Day couldn’t chase down runaway winner Brian Harman at The Open, but the Aussie golf star had a moment of magic to savour during brutal conditions in the final round at Royal Liverpool. Harman defied the incessant rain and wind, plus a couple of early hiccups to claim a six-stroke victory for the first major title of his career.
Day, like a host of other challengers, simply couldn’t catch the American, who took a five-shot lead into the final round, before shooting a final-round 70 to finish at 13-under for the tournament to lift the Claret Jug. Day shot a two-under 69 to finish in a tie for second alongside Tom Kim, Sepp Straka and Jon Rahm, meaning the Queenslander joined an exclusive list of players to have runner-up finishes at all four majors.
The 2015 PGA Championship winner joins golfing luminaries Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Phil Mickelson, Greg Norman, Louis Oosthuizen, Craig Wood and Dustin Johnson as just the ninth player in the game’s history to be a runner-up at all four majors. The Queenslander also had a moment to savour in his final round after an extraordinary hole-out birdie described as “unbelievable” in commentary.
Day missed the green at the par-three ninth but delivered one of the shots of the day with a chip-in from 33 feet that flew over a bunker and rolled into the hole. Day’s second straight birdie threatened a late charge from the Aussie and sent fans into raptures on social media.
