Champion Day withdraws from WGC event to be with ill mother

Defending champion Jason Day has decided to pull out of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play after revealing his mum is terminally ill.

The Australian teed off in his opening Group 3 match against Pat Perez but could only manage six holes before his withdrawal, later explaining the reasons for his decision.

Speaking to the media, Day admitted that he “could not comprehend” playing golf at the moment with his mother set to undergo an operation in her battle with lung cancer.

The world number three revealed that she had been diagnosed at the start of the year but, after seeing specialists in the US, is hopeful that the original prognosis can be proved wrong.

Day stated: “My mom has been here for a while, and she has lung cancer. At the start of the year she was diagnosed with 12 months to live, but the diagnosis is much better being over here in America).

“She’s going in for surgery this Friday and it’s really hard to even comprehend being on the golf course right now because of what she’s gone through.”

Tagged Jason Day, WGC-Dell Match Play