It was finally time.

  After years of consistent performances at Major Championships, the relief of finally winning his first was etched all over the face of Jason Day. He rolled his penultimate putt to within a few inches of the hole and, after bending down to mark his ball, the tears began to flow as the magnitude of the moment began to hit him - an acknowledgement that years of dedication to his craft had finally paid off.

  It always seemed like it would end this way for Day. His mercurial talent is conducive to low scoring so a record-breaking final total of 20 under-par - eclipsing his hero Tiger Woods’ previous record by a single shot - will have surprised very few.

  He couldn’t have asked for a tougher situation at the start of the day. Playing in the same group as 2015’s best player, Jordan Spieth, he knew the American would breathe down his neck all day and with Major winners Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer just behind the danger was everywhere.  

  From the get go it was clear that the pressure wasn’t going to have an impact on him, he birdied the par-5 second hole before birdieng three straight from five through to seven and never let anyone get within two strokes of his lead. Even when things didn’t go perfectly he still found his way out of it – after chunking his wedge shot on the par-four ninth hole to leave him well short of the green it looked like those around him might be able to gain a shot or two; instead, Spieth himself couldn’t get up and down for par and Branden Grace, who at that point was at 16 under and well within striking distance, was busy double-bogeying the tenth hole to end his challenge prematurely.

  The win vaults Day up to number three in the World rankings and leaves golf in the enviable position of having its top three be young, marketable guys to build the foundation of the game on. With Spieth, McIlroy and Day winning five of the last six Majors it’s clear that the game is finally in a healthy enough position to move on from the Tiger Woods era, something it’s been wrestling with since Woods’ game began to atrophy.

  The US PGA is often considered the black sheep of the four Majors; one that lacks the history, prestige and significance of the other three. That won’t matter in the slightest for Day, who rid himself of a rather large monkey on his back and now looks like a threat to win multiple Majors in the coming years.  

  Better late than never! 

What was in Jason's bag?