Jason Day walked away with bragging rights and the cash after getting the edge on Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Hideki Matsuyama at The Challenge: Japan Skins.
The 12-time PGA TOUR winner picked up $180,000 on the final two holes at Accordia Golf Narshino Country Club in Japan to take home $210,000 of the $350,000 prize money on offer.
The four-man shootout was held to kickstart the week of the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, Japan’s first-ever PGA TOUR event.
All four players had a chance to take the title on the final hole, but it was the Australian who prevailed with a clutch birdie to take the trophy. Day won three skins with a birdie on the par-three 3rd, then collected four more on the par-four 17th with a clutch 12-foot par putt.
The former world No 1 and THE PLAYERS champion then claimed the par-five 18th $100,000 super skin with an up-and-down birdie under the lights.
‘It was fun. It’s nice to be able to beat the caliber of player I did today,’ Day said after accepting the trophy.
‘It was nice to be able to hole some putts coming down the stretch, hit some good shots. The short game really showed up today and that’s usually my strength of my game.’
Woods and McIlroy both picked up $60,000, while Matsuyama claimed $20,000.
Playing in his first event since mid-August and following a fifth procedure on his left knee to repair some cartilage damage, Woods looked physically fit, although clearly a little rusty.
‘I did not play well at the beginning. I hit a lot of bad shots and did not putt well,’ Woods said.
‘Once I got into the flow of competing and feeling the round, it just got exciting. We were competitive, the banter was great, the back and forth.’
