Jason Day wins Bay Hill by one stroke

Thanks to a stellar up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the 72nd hole, Jason Day held on for a one-stroke win Sunday in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla.

Facing a 97-foot bunker shot, the 28-year-old Australian chipped within 4 feet of the flag, then knocked in the par putt to complete a 2-under-par 70 on the day and a 17-under 271 for the event.

Kevin Chappell closed with a 69 finish in second place at 272.

The two players who finished the third round tied with Chappell for second behind Day, Troy Merritt and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, both shot 71 on Sunday. They tied for third at 274.

Zach Johnson took fifth place at 276 following a 68.

Jamie Lovemark, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama shared sixth place at 277. Aphibarnrat matched the best round of the day, 65, while Matsuyama closed with a 67 and Lovemark carded a 70.

England’s Paul Casey (final-round 69), Italy’s Francesco Molinari (69) and England’s Justin Rose (73) tied for ninth place at 278.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, the world’s second-ranked player, posted a 65 on Sunday to tie for 27th at 282.

Day got off to a rough start Sunday, making three bogeys in a four-hole stretch on the front nine. A birdie at No. 9 got him back to even par for the round. He played bogey-free golf on the back nine, picking up birdies on No. 12 and No. 17 that proved to be just enough.

“It was a very, very rewarding win today,” Day said. “As you saw out there today, I looked like I was out of sorts on the front side and bogeying two on the front side where I was actually playing really well the par-5s this week.

“I was hitting shots and didn’t know where anyone of my iron shots were going. The only thing that I was a little bit comfortable with was my driver but to be able to kind of go on. I said if I get back to even par through 9, which I did on the ninth hole with the nice shot there, but if I can get 2, 3 under on the back side that might have a good chance of getting this win, (so) very, very rewarding.”

The win was Day’s first of the year. He closed last season in impressive fashion, capturing the PGA Championship (his first career major title) and The Barclays and the BMW Championship, both during the four-event FedEx Cup playoffs.

Chappell cost himself a chance at a playoff when he made a bogey on the 18th hole.

“It’s obviously those things, one of many, why he’s been the No. 1 player in the world, why I’m the 150th player in the world,” Chappell said, comparing himself to Day. “You just can’t bogey the last (hole) when you’re in contention, and hats off to Jason. He played well, real clutch down the stretch, and I’ll learn from this and I’ll get better.”