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By John Bush
PGA TOUR Staff

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Chalk up another victory for an Australian on the Nationwide Tour, with 19-year-old Jason Day making history on Sunday by becoming the youngest player to win a PGA TOUR-sponsored event.

Jason Day birdied the final hole to win by a shot. (WireImage)

Day posted a 4-under-par 67 during the final round -- his fourth sub-70 score of the week -- to finish the $525,000 Legend Financial Group Classic presented by Cynergies Solutions with a tournament-record 16-under-par 268. Fellow Australian Scott Gardiner (67) finished one stroke back, while India native Arjun Atwal (66) added additional international flavor to the event with a third-place finish.

"I've worked so hard for this, so it is great to come out with the win," said Day, a native of Queensland, Australia. "It was a goal of mine to win on the Nationwide Tour during my first season, so to accomplish that is nice."

Day, at 19 years, seven months and 26 days, surpasses the previous youngest players to win on the two Tours -- including Johnny McDermott's (19 years, 10 months) win at the 1911 U.S. Open and James Oh's (21 years, 5 months and 27 days) victory at the 2003 Mark Christopher Charity Classic.

"To win at the age of 19 is a great accomplishment," said Day, who is also the Tour's youngest player. "This goes down in history. It is a great achievement to be the Tour's youngest winner."

Day began the day tied with David McKenzie (72), but relinquished that lead to the streaking Gardiner, who made four birdies on the front nine to take a two-stroke lead at the turn. Things tightened up considerably when a two-stroke swing occurred on the par-4 15th hole, as Gardiner posted his first bogey of the day and Day answered with a 30-foot birdie.

A birdie by Gardiner on the final hole tied Day at 15-under, but the teenager responded with a 6-foot birdie -- set up by a perfectly struck pitching wedge from 107 yards. The Tigeresque fist pump as the ball fell in the hole capped off a historicl week -- and one that Day won't soon forget.

"I will remember this win forever," stated Day, who moves to No. 8 among The 25 with $174,365. "I just wanted to get across the finish line first. I had a lot of good players chasing me today which makes this even more special. There was good pressure, so to come away with the win does a lot for my confidence."

Impressive may be an understatement for the amateur resume Day built up before turning professional in 2006. Among his victories were titles at the Australasian Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Australian Junior Championship, World Junior Championship and the Queensland Medal Championship. After turning pro, he made seven career starts on the PGA TOUR, recording two top-15 finishes and a career-best 11th-place finish at the 2006 Reno-Tahoe Open.

"I've been winning junior and amateur tournaments for a long time," said Day. "I know this is different ... but winning those tournaments gives you that feeling and you know you can do it again."

Prior to Sunday's win, Day's rookie season on Tour had included three top-10 finishes, but a couple painful losses along the way. He played in the final pairing at the Livermore Valley Wine Country Championship, but an 8-over 80 left him well behind winner Omar Uresti. Then he entered the final round of the LaSalle Bank Open with a share of the lead, only to shoot a 1-over 73 and finish five behind John Riegger.

"It was very disappointing to not win those tournaments," said Day, who to his credit did manage a final-round 62 to finish fourth at the Fort Smith Classic. "But it was a learning curve ... and it helped prepare me for this win. When your chips are down you just have to stick with it. The last two times I tried to force the issue, but today I just played my own game."

Australians continue to rewrite the Nationwide Tour record book, as Day increases his country's lead in several international statistical categories -- including number of winners (20) and total victories (30). He adds his name to a roster of Australian winners on Tour which includes three-time winner Mark Hensby, 2007 multiple winner Nick Flanagan and two-time winner Stuart Appleby.

"I'm glad I added my name to that list of winners," said Day. "It is great to see Aussies doing so well, not only on this Tour but on the PGA TOUR as well."

Day can also add the Bernard L. Porter trophy to his new home in Orlando -- just minutes from the Bay Hill Club & Lodge. From the sound of things, it will be a welcomed addition.

"It is a beautiful home but there is nothing in it," said Day. "I have no furniture. Not even a refrigerator. The only thing I have in it is a pump-up mattress. So this trophy will be a nice addition."

Save room, Jason. There will likely be many more to follow.

Final Round News & Notes: Jeremy Anderson posted an eventful 1-under 70 on Sunday. Despite hearing something pop in his ankle on the second hole, he completed his round to finish the tournament in a tie 44th place. A visit to the emergency room after the round revealed torn ligaments. He will use crutches for three days and is day-to-day for next week's tournament. He said, "I bogeyed two out of the last three holes, so I was actually proud of my effort to shoot 1 under. It was rough out there. I was basically playing on one leg. I had a downhill lie on the 16th hole that brought me to tears after I hit it."

• Jason Day is the 51st international player to win on Tour, with that group accounting for 71 wins.

• Day's victory marks the 10th time in 17 tournaments that the 54-hole leader has gone on to win.

• With his runner-up finish, Scott Gardiner has now finished inside the top 5 in three consecutive tournaments. He is now 18th on the money list. ... Jason Day (67) and Ryan Hietala (70) posted the only bogey-free rounds on Sunday, bringing the total for the week to 16 ... The final-round scoring average at the par-71 StoneWater Golf Club was 70.968, while the cumulative average for the week was 71.130

• The par-3 third hole played the most difficult this week at 3.366, while the 390-yard par-4 eighth hole was the easiest at 3.737. ... The Nationwide Tour stays in the Buckeye state this week for the inaugural $700,000 Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational to be played at the Ohio State University Golf Club's Scarlet Course.