The greenside bunker shot isn't really that hard for a professional golfer. In fact, many pros prefer to find the sand with their inaccurate second shots as opposed to rough or water.
But when Jason Day found himself in the sand on Monday in The Challenge: Japan Skins, he probably wasn't licking his chops like so many world-class players normally would. That's because the Aussie was competing in a one-club challenge hole as part of the 18-hole exhibition featuring Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Hideki Matsuyama. The members of the foursome each had to select one club with which they could play the entirety of the par-5 14th hole at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan.
Day went with 6-iron, and he found himself in the greenside bunker in three shots. Needing to get up-and-down to push the hole and carry over the $20,000 skin, Day had to get deep in his stance, open that 6-iron face like crazy and swing with conviction.
The result was remarkable.
Charity Challenge 14th hole limits players to using only one club. @JDayGolf out of the bunker with 6-iron > all of us with a wedge 😲
Stream #TheChallengeJapanSkins via PGA TOUR Live on @NBCSportsGold: https://t.co/15kxlyuuPe pic.twitter.com/NN6aw1BH2g
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) October 21, 2019
Day's bunker shot was executed perfectly, leading to a 4-foot par putt to salvage 5. Day then calmly made the putt with his 6-iron, tying the hole.
In the end, Day went on to capture the skin carried over from the 14th by taking the 17th hole for four skins and $80,000. Then, on the final hole, Day birdied the par-5 finisher to win the $100,000 super skin to close the competition. Day was the victor on the afternoon with $210,000 in earnings from the $350,000 purse.
