[PHOTO: Getty Images]
Jason Day has seemingly overcome his dislike of Riviera Country Club to secure a top 10 at the famed Los Angeles course for the second consecutive year.
Day previously held an indifference to Riviera, despite it being one of the most revered courses on the PGA Tour and the annual host of Tiger Woods’ Genesis Invitational. Day, a 14-time tour winner, had never posted a top 10 prior to a T-9 last year. On Sunday (US time) he signed for an even-par 71 and at 10-under par he locked up solo ninth, a personal best.
At 17-under, Hideki Matsuyama blitzed his way to a three-shot victory and joined an elite list of golfers to have won the Masters and the Genesis at Riviera, which also includes Adam Scott and Bubba Watson. Matsuyama beat Californian Luke List and comeback kid Will Zalatoris, who shared second at 14-under.
Day birdied the easy par-5 opening hole at Riviera on the final day but a bogey on the par-4 fifth rattled the former world No.1 and he never truly recovered. A birdie on the tough par-4 ninth was undone by bogeys at the 12th and 15th. The Queenslander finished with a birdie on the par-5 17th and a bogey on the 18th.
Former major winner Day began the back nine on Sunday with a decent chance at reeling in the leaders, and had the short par-4 10th and par-5 11th to get his run going. But Day will rue a back-nine score of two-over 38.
Scott, a two-time winner at Riviera who needed to write a letter to Genesis tournament directors for a sponsor’s invitation this year, also signed for a final-day 71 to finish at six-under and tied 19th.
Cameron Davis rounded out the Australian contingent with a 75 dropping him to 49th at two-over.
While the DP World Tour did not stage an event this week, the Ladies European Tour travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Aramco Saudi Ladies International. Sydneysider Steph Kyriacou, playing her first international event of 2024, was the top Australian in a tie for 14th at three-under, 15 shots behind runaway winner Patty Tavatanakit, who enjoyed a seven-shot victory.
