He had a ready made excuse but Jason Day cut a frustrated figure after letting the lead slip in the final round of the US Open.
Day produced one of the more heroic performances in major championship golf history, playing on despite an attack of benign positional vertigo that saw him collapse in a heap on the ground during his second round.
Defying the odds in the third round he surged into a tie for the lead while he remained a shadow of his best physically, setting up a potential fairytale breakthrough major win.
But backing up on Sunday proved a bridge too far with his four-over-74 leaving him tied ninth, five shots behind winner Jordan Spieth.
It represented his eighth top 10 finish in 19 major starts.
“I’m disappointed. It’s frustrating. I really felt like I had a good chance today,” Day told AAP.
“If I had made my birdie putts on nine, 11 and 12, which I had a chance to do, I would have been right in the mix and it was on 12 that I actually started to feel a little bit better.”
But it wasn’t to be this time.
The reality is the Queenslander had effectively played his grand final on Saturday and the fatigue and strain of trying to battle the ill effects of his condition made a tough task even tougher.
He had to attempt to keep his head upright on the horizon, unable to effectively even tee the ball up or pick it out of the hole without discomfort.
Day battled dizzy spells and between rounds he was on an IV drip and wearing a neck brace to keep his body hydrated and in the correct position.
“It’s a hell of an effort,” said Adam Scott.
“I really have no idea what he must have been dealing with because I’ve never done it. When you’re not feeling well at all, playing a US Open isn’t a lot of fun.
“And something very serious like that, you know, he’s a tough, tough kid. He’s got a lot of heart and he’s always showing that, but he’s just proving it again.”
Day is scheduled to play in next week’s US PGA tour event but has to first consult his medical team before taking his place.
As far as the majors the 27-year-old was already looking ahead to the British Open at St Andrews next month.
“Maybe in the next few days I will reflect on this week and see it as an achievement but it still stings,” Day said.
“All I can do is work on getting better and being ready to go at the next major. I will be giving it everything I’ve got once again.”
