Jason Day reckons he only needs a few tweaks for this week’s US PGA Championship after fading from contention late in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.
Continuing his great run of form, world No.4 Day got within three shots of the lead at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio on Sunday.
However he faltered on the back nine and ended up tied 12th, eight shots behind Irishman Shane Lowry who claimed his biggest victory.
Day, who has been inside the top 10 in the last two majors this year and now has nine top-10s in 20 major appearances, will have one day off before ramping up his PGA Championship tilt at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
“I’m excited for this week and just need a few little tightening up tweaks,” said Day.
“My short game was great most of the week and the putter was okay until late today and I know if I get my prep work done I know I can give myself a great chance of getting my first major.”
Lowry fired a final round four-under-66 to finish at 11-under-par and win by two strokes from Bubba Watson (66), while Day finished with a 69 and tied with countryman Steve Bowditch who also got within three before finishing with a 72.
Starting the final round seven shots back, Day was forced to play aggressively and fired a four-under-31 front nine to make his presence felt.
With a tough pin on the 13th and holes running out, the 27-year-old refused to die wondering but his approach ended up long and a bogey halted his run.
With the wind out of the sails he dropped a few more shots coming in.
“The front nine I was feeling pretty good, I was flushing it, hitting it long, putting well but I just struggled the back side,” Day said.
“I went at the pin on 13 and just got a harder bounce than I was expecting and that was that. But I can take plenty of good going into the major next week.
Bowditch, fresh off his scintillating 63 on Saturday, birdied the second hole to kick-start his challenge.
But a run of seven pars followed and a bogey on the 10th stunted his efforts.
The 32-year-old continued to grind it out in his bid to gain critical FedEx and Presidents Cup points but an untimely double bogey on the 16th was costly.
“I battled my swing all day but was toughing it out well until the 16th but at the end of the day it was a decent effort and one I hope to build off into the PGA,” Bowditch said.
Marc Leishman shot a 70 to finish at two-over while Adam Scott heads to the final major a little out of sorts after a final round 73 left him five-over.
Andrew Dodt (71) finished tied 63rd at 11-over and Nick Cullen (75) finished his WGC debut at 21-over in a tie for 75th.
