Jason Day says he wants to beat Jordan Spieth in FedEx Cup and become World No. 1
Aussie golfer Jason Day will lead Australia’s six-man team in the US PGA tour FedEx Cup playoffs in a bid to be the first Australian to win the Tour Championship. Day, who just won his first major championship last Sunday, is aiming to end his year on a high note as the 27-year-old golfer plans to beat Jordan Spieth at the FedEx Cup and get closer to become the world’s No. 1 golfer.
Day, currently on third place in the world golf rankings behind Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy, will start the four-tour progressive elimination playoff series in second place, the highest an Australian has ever began the playoffs. After an impressive three wins this season, Day has a huge chance to make history at the FedEx Cup and bag a huge prize of US$10 million (AU$13.8 million). While Day is focused in the upcoming playoff, the Aussie has also set his goals to dethrone Spieth in the world rankings.
"It's important my focus shifts immediately onto the playoffs where I really want to try to beat Jordan (Spieth) and beat the guys behind me and win the FedEx Cup," Day said, reports SBS. "It is a chance to really finish the year on an absolute high and get closer to my goal of being world No.1."
The Australian team will be the smallest contingent ever since the FedEx Cup playoffs began in 2007. However, with just six players in the top 125 FedEx Cup point list, it is the worst result for Australian golf since 2009, where nine players qualified for the FedEx Cup.
According to Golf Australia, Steven Bowditch, the only other Australian winner this season, will join Australia’s FedEx playoffs contingent, along with Marc Lishman and Matt Jones. Bowditch will enter the Barclays next week in 22nd spot, while Leishman and Jones start at 50 and 55 respectively. Fellow Aussie golfers John Senden and Adam Scott, who will begin at 88 and 94, will also be part of the squad, but both need to play well at the FedEx Cup opener to ensure they get to week two at the Deutsche Bank Championship, where only 100 golfers will compete.
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods failed to earn a spot at the Barclays after losing out at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, while Davis Love III became the third-oldest winner in PGA Tour history, ending his long victory drought after closing with a six-under-par 64 for a one-stroke victory over Jason Gore.
“Any victory now is going to be really sweet when you’re over 50,” Love said, reports NY Times.
Wood’s was poised to challenge on the FedEx qualifier, starting just two strokes off the lead. However, the 39-year-old Woods only had one birdie during his first 10 holes and dropped far off the pace with a triple bogey on the par-411th. The American golfer did not make the cut after ending at No. 178 in the standings.
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