Kim, Pan and Dou Denied as Day Ends Victory Drought

Texas, United States: Three former Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship contestants finished in the top seven at the AT&T Byron Nelson where Australian Jason Day ended a five-year title drought with an emotional victory.

While Day was celebrating his 13th PGA Tour triumph, Korean Kim Si-woo shared second place with Chinese Taipei’s CT Pan in solo fourth and China’s Marty Dou Zecheng, the joint overnight leader, in equal fifth.

Bidding for a fifth PGA Tour win and second of the season, Kim fired a closing eight-under 63 for a 22-under 262 total, only to be thwarted by playing partner Day, who closed with a brilliant 62 for a one-stroke victory.

It was also a memorable day for Pan who signed for a career-low 62 to finish on 263 having recently come back from an injury lay-off due to a wrist problem. For Dou, who signed off with a 67 which included a double-bogey on the eighth hole while holding a two-shot lead, it was a first career top-10 on the PGA Tour.

A three-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour, Dou caught a flyer on the eighth hole with his approach shot which landed out of bounds.

“It was a big mistake. The ball was on the edge of rough. The lie looked okay but I hit a flyer. It was a pity. That hole cost me a lot of opportunities … two strokes really. But I was generally good after that, but just didn’t have enough birdies,” said Dou, who finished three strokes behind Day, alongside American Scottie Scheffler (65) and England’s Tyrell Hatton (64).

Kim made eight birdies and enjoyed a bogey-free weekend, but was left to rue a missed 14-foot opportunity on the 17th hole to put the pressure on his playing partner. “I think I had a chance on 17 if I would have made it. It was a good putt – but didn’t go in. But Jason was playing great, as well,” said Kim, who moved to eighth position on the FedEx Cup standings with his second top-10 in his last three starts.

“It was a great week, especially as this is my kind of second hometown. It feels great to play great at home. I tried my best and I like the result. It was a good round,” added the Korean, who will now head for the PGA Championship, the year’s second Major.

Pan was delighted to secure his best result of the season after nailing two eagles in his round, the first time he has done so on the PGA Tour. “I was just trying to give myself a lot of birdie looks, and on the back nine it was pretty crazy, I had two eagles. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before, and shot 62, my lowest round on the PGA Tour. Just really cool to do it on Sunday and on the PGA Tour.”

Day, whose first PGA Tour win came at the AT&T Byron Nelson in 2010, was in tears after prevailing once more following a difficult few years which included a debilitating back injury and also the loss of his mother, Dening, who passed away last year due to cancer.

“To go through what I went through and then to be able to be a winner again and be in the winner’s circle is very pleasing. There’s been a lot of hard work behind the scenes that a lot of people haven’t seen. But that’s just the competition part of the journey and trying to strive to get better. It’s nice to be able to get my 13th win,” said 35-year-old Day, whose wife Ellie and four children were waiting by the 18th greenside.

“I was really calm. I woke up, had a great sleep, and things felt calm. For some reason, I thought I was going to win the tournament. It’s easy to say that now because I won it, but for some reason I just had this sort of calmness.”