Greg Norman called it great theatre, caddie and mentor Col Swatton described it as superhuman and for Ellie Day it felt like her husband had already won.
Jason Day produced one of the most impressive rounds in Australian golf history when he battled severe vertigo and a physical collapse from the previous day to shoot a two-under-68 for a share of the lead heading into the final round of the US Open.
Visibly far from 100-percent fit, the 27-year-old Queenslander had Norman comparing the round to Tiger Woods’ epic 2008 US Open win on a broken leg and Ken Venturi’s 1964 win while suffering heat exhaustion.
Two-time major winner Norman said it was fantastic theatre that nobody could ever match.
It wasn’t the last of the plaudits.
Day was the only player in the last eight groups to shoot under par on Saturday as conditions at Chambers Bay became brutally difficult on the baked, dusty greens.
FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel echoed the thoughts of many when he tweeted: “WOW! What Jason Day is doing is incredible! He still doesn’t look anywhere close to 100% but he is one tough Aussie.”
Long time caddie, coach and father figure Swatton was similarly in awe.
“That was a superhuman effort. That was the greatest round I’ve ever watched. I’ve watched a lot of golf and to watch it live is pretty special,” he said.
“They’re going to make a movie about that round.
“I said `you’ve got the heart of a lion. You’re going to show the world today you’re going to be the greatest you can be’.”
“He said: ‘let’s do it’ and he just put his head down and kept walking one foot in front of the other.”
For Ellie Day, who is pregnant with the the couple’s second child, he had already won.
“I am just so proud of him for playing when it looked like he could fall over again at any moment,” she told AAP.
“I’ve always known he has that fight in him and I loved seeing it come out today. I admire the heart and passion he shows when it really counts.”
“He has worked so hard for this and while it is a long way from over it sure felt like a win today.”
