Jason Day wins first major after so many near-misses

Jason Day finally bridged the gap to major championship victory on Sunday night as he held Jordan Spieth at bay to complete a three-stroke PGA Championship win at Whistling Straits.

American Spieth was himself bidding for a third major of the year after his successes at the Masters and US Open but his solo second place finish was enough for him to overtake Ireland’s Rory McIlroy at the top of the official golf world rankings.

It was Day’s moment, though, as the shadows lengthened by the shores of Lake Michigan, his tap-in par giving him a closing 67, five under par for the round and 20 under for the tournament, the best score to par in major history.