Date: June 16, 2014
Author: Martin Blake / golf.org.au

Day keeps hammering on Major door

<image="1" align="left" />Jason Day keeps hammering on the door of a major victory. Off the pace at Pinehurst today in the US Open, the Australian roared home with his best round of the week, a two-under-par 68, to log yet another top-10 in a major as Germany's Martin Kaymer went wire-to-wire.

 Day completed his seventh top-10 finish in a major over the past five years with his tied-fourth position.

 He has previously finished second at the Masters in 2011 (behind Charl Schwartzel), at the US Open in 2011 and 2013, third at the Masters in 2013, and tied-eighth and tied-10th in the 2010 and 2013 PGA Championships.

 Kaymer was untouchable after his amazing opening rounds of 65, near-flawless golf on a tough course. Starting the final day with a five-shot lead, the German Ryder Cup star parred the first two holes and then drove the par-four third hole for a birdie to set the tone. He did not falter in any major way. He won by eight shots, finishing at nine-under-par after closing with a one-under 69.

 It is Kaymer's second major championship victory, having won the PGA Championship in 2010. The German also won the Players Championship at Sawgrass this year, and ranked 28th before this week, shapes as a challenger to Adam Scott's No. 1 ranking.

 Scott had a strong finish today, carding a one-under 69 to finish tied-ninth.  "I wish I would have been closer,'' he said afterward. "I'm playing some of the best golf of my life, but winning majors is hard.''

 Aaron Baddeley, the other Australian to make the cut, also had a good week, finishing tied-23rd.

 Pinehurst will host the US Women's Open this week, with veteran Karrie Webb Australia's most likely contender.