Positioned just outside the top 10 heading into the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Day’s Sunday started to come unstuck at the hole that champion Bryson DeChambeau made his own this week, the par-5 sixth.

As DeChambeau had the Florida fans roaring with his cross-lake tee shot that on Sunday finished just 88 yards short of the hole at the 565-yard par 5, Day found the water with his driver on his way to a double-bogey.

Four bogeys on the back nine added up to a final round of 7-over 79 and a tie for 31st, still the best finish of any of the Aussies at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, but with recognition that he has work to do before he returns to the winner’s circle.

“It feels really close to playing some good golf, but I feel like I got a lot of work to do before I can really believe that I can kind of win out here again,” Day said.

“And I’m not saying that in a negative way at all, I just feel like there’s a few areas of my game that just need to be tightened up and it’s not that far away.

“I don’t have any issues with my body so there’s no excuses in regards to that. I can go out and work as hard as I can. I can putt as long as I want to, which is great.

“Overall, I think it’s been moving in the right direction, which has been a plus.

“I’ve just got to focus on what I’ve been doing great and just try and tighten up the areas that I need to tighten up and then get back to winning. That’s all I can focus on.”

The 2016 champion at Bay Hill, Day returns to another tournament venue where he has had success this week, TPC Sawgrass for the THE PLAYERS Championship a year on from when the TOUR was forced to shut down due to the looming threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Kind of a whirlwind year to be honest. It’s kind of crazy that it’s already been a year. But also it feels

like it’s been a long year as well,” Day said, the TOUR suspending the season prior to the second round of THE PLAYERS last year.

“I think everyone is excited to get back to the PLAYERS Championship next week. I think everyone’s just excited to get back and play it again and I heard it’s in tremendous condition.

“I’m excited to get back.”

Coming on the back of her best LPGA Tour finish on US soil, Sarah Kemp was once again the pick of the Aussie girls at the LPGA Drive On Championship, recording her best round of the week in the final round to finish tied for 34th.

After a strong start Katherine Kirk struggled on Sunday, starting with three straight bogeys on her way to a 5-over 77.

PGA TOUR
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida
T31        Jason Day            70-72-68-79—289           
T49        Danny Lee           73-71-71-77—292           
MC         Matt Jones          76-72—148
MC         Cameron Davis   76-72—148
MC         Cameron Percy  72-76—148
MC         Marc Leishman  74-75—149

LPGA Tour
LPGA Drive On Championship
Golden Ocala Golf Club, Ocala, Florida
T8           Lydia Ko               69-72-72-71—284            $US30,463
T34        Sarah Kemp         72-72-74-71—289            $8,499
T48        Katherine Kirk     69-72-73-77—291            $5,469
MC         Sarah Jane Smith              77-78—15