Day wins four-man playoff at Torrey Pines

Australia’s Jason Day is again celebrating an early New Year victory after a second extra play-off hole victory at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in California.

Day, who had won early in 2014 at the WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship, captured a fourth PGA Tour title after he had been among four players to have ended regulation play at nine under par.

Jason Day (Credit: www.golffile.ie)

The Aussie had posted a final round two under par 70 to end tied with the American trio of J B Holmes, who shot a 72 in regulation, along with Harris English, who got up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the last in regulation for birdie also in a score of 72, and also Scott Stallings shooting a round of 69.

The four headed back to the 570-yard par five 18th where both Day and Holmes made birdies while English and Stallings dropped out after pars.

Day and Holmes headed off to the 196-yard par three, 16th where the Queensland-born Day, who had birdied the hole around an hour earlier, put a 5-iron shot to 15 feet after Holmes flew the green with his ball landing up against the base of a TV tower where he was afforded a ‘free’ drop.

Holmes then sent his second shot 12 feet past the hole and two-putted for bogey.

Day then stepped up and while he missed his birdie he had no trouble holing a one foot putt par winning putt.

“Farmers Insurance Open winner sounds good,” said Day.

“It’s an amazing feeling as I have been working so hard for this win, and I was just visualizing myself this week holding the trophy and kind of like what I did last year when I won the Match-Play.”

“So I am just really, really proud of myself to be able to hang in there and do what I needed to do.”

Along with moving to the new World No. 4 Day and surpassing good mate, Adam Scott, the Queenslander collected a first prize cheque of $US 1.134m.

Marc Leishman was the next best of the Australians this week in a tie for 27th and seven strokes off the lead on a crowded scoreboard.