HE HAD too many misses to win the 2013 US Open golf championship at the Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, on June 13-16, but Filipino Australian Jason Day almost snatched the title at the bell, finishing a close equal second with Phil Mickelson to the champion Justin Rose’s 1-over par 281.
Day shot rounds of 70, 74, 68, 71, and despite missing out for the second time in three months he was circumspect about his game.
He was quoted by the Associated Press as saying: “As long as I keep knocking on the door,” he said Sunday, “I think I’ll win a major here soon.
“At the start of the week everyone thought we were going to rip it up. But I just knew that somewhere around even par was going to win it, and I just had to stick in there.
“So I was very patient with myself and happy with how I handled myself, and now I just got to keep giving myself shots at majors.”
Day had finished third place at The Masters in April after leading in the final round before bogeys in the last two holes.
The 25-year-old has so far played in five majors, and has finished outside the top 10 only once.
Day started his professional career with a tie for 60th at the British Open in 2010. His record since has become the envy of his peers: tied for 10th at the 2010 PGA Championship, tied for at the 2011 Masters, outright second at Congressional in 2011.
This year, Day is still the only player in world golf to finish in the top 10 in both majors: The Masters, and the U.S. Open.
The AP report said: “He probably knew it when he tossed his club after the miss at 13. Or when he put both hands over his head after the miss at 15.”Jaime K.Pimentel