Jason Day birdied the sixth extra play-off hole to defeat Alex Noren, notching his first victory after 18 months at the Farmers Insurance Open.
The pair traded blows over the opening five play-off holes, carding three birdies and two pars after the end of Sunday’s final round before darkness cast a shadow over the days play.
Noren in search for his first win on the PGA Tour and Day looked to rejoin the champions ranks and climb back inside the world’s top-ten since the 2016 Players Championship.
Day holed a 6-foot birdie putt in the dark to give Noren a must make birdie putt, which the Swede gladly converted the uphill 5-footer on the 18th green – the fourth time they had played the closing par-five on Sunday in the longest play-off in the 67-year history of the Farmers Insurance Open.
A former world number one, Day, had the best chance to end it on the third extra hole, par-3 16th, but his 12-foot birdie putt hung him to dry on the right edge.
Ryan Palmer began the playoff with them at 10-under after regulation play.
On the first play-off hole, Noren used the slopes to leave his approach to tap-in range, leaving Day and Palmer with the task to match his bride. Day drained his 10-footer, centre cup, and threw out a fist pump but Palmer hit an uninspiring wedge and was eliminated with par.
"I can't see it."
Don't worry, @JDayGolf. 🎯#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/teAgSB8Xep
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 29, 2018
Day took the clubhouse lead after carding a two-under 70, but burned out after starting with four birdies on the front nine, he failed to pick up a shot down the stretch, bogeying the 11th and 15th.
Noren had a 12-foot birdie attempt in regulation to avoid the playoff and narrowly missed.
Monday’s play began on the par-five 18th with Day looking to have handed the Swede the early advantage, firing it his drive into the right rough and having no option but to lay up.
A nine-time winner on the European Tour, Noren went in for the kill, launched his 3-wood at the heart of the green but gave the Swede false hope as it caught the bank and rolled into the water.
Day only needed a birdie to secure his first win in 259 days.
The Australian, just like at dusk on Sunday, struck a pure 105-yard wedge shot to leave only 18 inches for the victory. Noren’s chances were over unless he holed out for a four of his own from 40 yards.
Noren knocked one in low, but it skated past the pin, resulting in a par putt and any chances of extending the play-off to slide by after scoring a six.
Jason Day, completing the formalities, tapped home for his 11th PGA Tour victory and second title in four years at Torrey Pines.
It was the third playoff in three weeks on the PGA Tour, with all of them lasting at least four holes.
“It has been a long time coming,” said Day, who battled a back injury at the start of the week, missing Wednesday’s pro-am, to then card a 64 on Friday. “I know that last year wasn’t the greatest season and I had some stuff off the course that was a little distracting.
“It’s special because I worked very hard in the off-season to try and get back into this position and I didn’t realise I had a chance this week.”
Day was as gracious as ever in victory and respected one of Europe’s leading players for stepping up his game over the other side of the Atlantic, but did show emotion.
After a tough year, where he revealed his mother had lung cancer at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play last March and seeing her undergo successful surgery, he was determined as ever to start his path back to the top of the elite game.
My goal has always been to try and get back to world No 1 and this is a step in the right direction.
Defending champion Jon Rahm, a winner last week at the, Careerbuilder in California, looked primed to make his own piece of history after opening rounds of 68-66 but he then unravelled with a double on the par-5 18th to sign for 75 and fall away completely on a Sunday that was two shots worse, finishing T29.
