Struggling on the US PGA Tour proper, Jason Day says an invitation from his idol Tiger Woods to play the Japan Skins Challenge was his inspiration to win the exhibition match outside Tokyo.
Now he wants to repay 15-time major winner Woods by lifting himself out of a stagnant patch of form.
Former world No.1 Day has plummeted to 28th on the rankings after a lean year, but outlasted Woods, Rory McIlroy and Hideki Matsuyama in a one-day skins game at Tokyo's Accordia golf course.
With the value of skins increasing as the round progressed, Day won $US210,000 (eight skins), while Woods (five skins) and McIlroy (four skins) each won $US60,000.
Home favourite Matsuyama struggled with $US20,000 (one skin).
Woods, who won the Masters in April, is a playing ambassador for Golf TV - the host broadcaster of the skins match.
Day said he was grateful Woods included him in the exhibition despite his freefall down the rankings.
Day managed six top-10s last season but failed to make the season-ending Tour Championship and is winless since May 2018.
"I'm very thankful and very blessed to be able to know Tiger, so for him to give me the invite was pretty special," Day told AAP.
"To play against Hideki and Rory was nice, too because Rory is coming off the FedEx Cup win.
"I was the (odd one out) because I haven't played great this year, so it was nice to be able to come in and win."
With Woods coming off a knee surgery in August and McIlroy an off-season break, the overall standard of golf was poor on Monday.
But Day says he felt his world-class short game returning after admitting it deserted him this year while he focussed on ball-striking.
"My short game is starting to come around; it was nice to be able to hole some putts coming down the stretch," Day said when asked what he could take out of a victory that has little relevance to his career.
The star quartet will now play the 78-man Zozo Championship at the same Accordia golf course starting Thursday.
It will be the first official US PGA Tour event held in Japan.
Australian Associated Press
