PGA star Jason Day pens emotional tribute to his late mother after pulling out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational to be at her side as she passed following five-year cancer battle: ‘I am forever indebted to her for her sacrifices’
- Australian golfer Jason Day withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational and rushed home to Ohio to be at his mother’s side as she died of cancer Wednesday
- Dening Day was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017, which Day tearfully revealed at the Dell Match Play in Austin. She was living in Ohio for treatment
- Day said on an Instagram post that she died peacefully Wednesday night. His sisters and one of their children were able to leave Australia for Columbus
- His father died from stomach cancer when Day was 12. His mother used insurance money and loans to get him into a school with a golf program
- That’s where he met Colin Swatton, who became his coach and caddie as Day reached No. 1 in the world in 2015, holding the top spot for 52 weeks
Australian golfer Jason Day withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational and rushed home to Ohio to be at his mother’s side as she died of cancer on Wednesday.
Dening Day was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017, which Day tearfully revealed at the Dell Match Play in Austin. She made progress through special treatment in Ohio, returned home to Australia and then spent the last few years with Day in Ohio when the cancer returned. She was 65.
Day said on an Instagram post that she died peacefully Wednesday night. His sisters and one of their children were able to leave Australia for Columbus to be with her as her condition worsened.
Australian golfer Jason Day (right) withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational and rushed home to Ohio to be at his mother’s side as she died of cancer on Wednesday. Dening Day (left) was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017, which Day tearfully revealed at the Dell Match Play in Austin. She made progress through special treatment in Ohio, returned home to Australia and then spent the last few years with Day in Ohio when the cancer returned
Day said on Instagram that she died peacefully Wednesday night. His sisters and one of their children were able to leave Australia for Columbus to be with her as her condition worsened
Jason Day and his mother are seen painting together prior to her passing on Wednesday
‘We are heartbroken but incredibly grateful for the gift we had in her living with us for the last almost two years full time,’ Day said of his mother, who was born in the Philippines before moving to Australia.
‘She fought so hard until the very last breath. I am forever indebted to her for the sacrifices she made for me to be successful, and for the person she helped me to become. We will miss her so much.’
His father died from stomach cancer when Day was 12.
With Day struggling following the death of his father, his mother used insurance money, borrowed funds from her brother and sold their house to help pay for him to go to a boarding school with a golf program.
That’s where he met Colin Swatton, who became his coach and caddie as Day reached No. 1 in the world in 2015, holding the top spot for 52 weeks following his 2015 PGA Championship win.
Jason Day plays his shot on the 1st tee during the third round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament at Spyglass Hill Golf Course
Dening couldn’t watch her son’s first major victory because she was working in the customer service department for a shipping company in Brisbane, she told ABC radio in 2015.
‘I’m at work today,’ she said. ‘I kept updated through the website, the PGA website, and it takes a long time before it gets updated. It was a little bit anxious to wait for it to get updated.
‘And I can see all the Twitter coming through.’
Day is now Ranked 92nd in the world after being scratched from the Arnold Palmer International.
He is expected to mourn the death of his mother and spend time with family before returning to the tour.
‘My mother [will] receive the award and I couldn’t think of a better person,’ Day said while accepting an award seven years ago, according to The Age.
‘She’s been my biggest supporter and she’s sacrificed so much for me, not only over the years but when I was a small child.
‘For her to give me the start I needed, the opportunity I needed to hone my skills and get better as player put me on a springboard to get to where I really wanted to be, which was on the PGA Tour and playing against the best players in the world.’
Jason Day of Australia plays a shot on the fourth hole during the first round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links on February 3
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