Jason Day – encouraging signs for the former world number one – file photo PGA of America
In a wide-ranging virtual interview with Australia’s golfing media today, Jason Day provided further evidence that the form he has shown in returning to the top 50 in the world on Monday was the start of a possible return to the elite of the game.
“It’s been a good start to the season,” said Day. “That West Coast Swing was great for me, getting out to Palm Springs early, getting the work in at the Vintage Club was great and then the last three starts have been awesome. Especially playing great in those elevated events really helped my world ranking, back inside the top-50 now, which is great. I’ve just got to keep pushing that world ranking up.
“The goal is to try and get back to No. 1 and whatever wins come in that, they’re like little steps along the way to get back to No. 1. If it happens sooner, great. If it doesn’t, I’m just going to keep working hard and hopefully it happens somewhere down the road.”
Interestingly, when Day suggested to the world in his very first year on the PGA Tour as an 18 year old that he would like to be the game’s number one, his perceived cockiness at the time, especially in an era when Tiger Woods reigned supreme, was seen by many including an American media, as the cockiness of a green-horn 18 year old from the other side of the world and ‘how dare’ he suggest such a far-fetched goal.
Well things have changed for the then young man who dreamed big at the time and backed his belief in getting to the top of the game. It was achieved nine years later in September of 2015 when just a few weeks after winning his first major title at the PGA Championship he was on the top looking back at those chasing.
Now he can articulate his desire to be the world number one again without any fear of retribution by those who might have thought it brash 17 years ago.
But he knows this will not be an easy task although he has shown previously and now that he is prepared to put in the hard yards to get there.
“You look at Rahm and McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, add Cantlay into the mix and there’s like a number of other guys like a Morikawa, and I can’t remember who else is inside the top-10 but there’s a number of guys that are very talented out here.
“The fields are so deep these days. Not saying they weren’t deep back when I was No. 1 or before me, but it just feels like these guys are really, really prepared to win and play well.
“And we’ve seen it, like over the last three weeks, three guys have regained No. 1 in the world, so there’s three guys right now that are playing really, really good golf. I’m just trying to keep my head down, stay focused and work on my game and hopefully at some point things will start to really turn and I’ll start to gain a lot more confidence.
“And not so much like can I win again, it’s more confidence in the ability of actually producing shots under the pump. I think that’s more of a thing that I’m trying to work towards because I know that I’ve won and I can win, it’s just something that I’m working towards.”
It might be hard to explain in regards like being there (world Number 1), knowing what I had to do to get there and achieving that was — I don’t know, it’s so addicting to go through that journey and that process. Me being a competitor and knowing that like I definitely have the game to get back there, it’s just a matter of like staying healthy and trying to make these correct changes.”
Day was clear in the fact that he has missed being able to play all the majors as has been the case, other than when injury or recent poor form prevented such, for the last twelve or so years
“I definitely want to get back to Augusta. Obviously missing the majors actually has been really tough for me to kind of sit back and — obviously I get to play the PGA, but missing the other majors, it’s really hard for me to sit back and kind of watch it.
“I feel like, you know, working my way back inside the top-50, I know that like it’s obviously a really great thing. I’ve enjoyed the journey thus far, but like I was saying before, like trying to get back to No. 1, there’s a number of things that need to happen. With the recent form I feel encouraged with the things that I’m working on knowing that like they’re showing a lot of good signs
The incredible amount of work Day has put in over the last few years (since slipping down the rankings to as low as 164th last year) in order to overcome the injury issues that have plagued much of his career, is again starting to yield results.
Now, after three consecutive top tens in in his last three starts he has clawed his way back inside the top 50 and all of a sudden he is a genuine chance of playing the Masters for the first time in two years.
With the Arnold Palmer Championship, the Players Championship and the Dell Technologies Match Play all on his immediate schedule ahead of Augusta National on April 6th and all of which he has won previously, then there is every reason to believe he will at least retain his standing in the rankings and more than likely improve but if he struggles in that regard he will keep his options open.
“Plan A is to play Bay Hill, PLAYERS, take a week off and then play the Match Play, take a week off going into Augusta. But if I’m slipping outside of that, then I’ll most likely play Valspar. So, even if I’m outside and I need to play Valero, I’ll most likely try to play Valero and see if I can win that one and get in. Right now, the plan is to play Bay Hill, THE PLAYERS and Match Play.”
The inevitable question about those who have gone to LIV and how he would react to them now being able to play all majors was asked and Day was pragmatic in his answer.
“Yeah, I think for some of the guys that voiced their opinions about LIV, it will probably be a little bit more awkward in regards to that.
“Actually, I miss the guys, I miss the guys that left. In regard to some of those guys, like Phil and Dustin, Cammy and all those guys, it’s kind of sad that they left. But I’m OK with them coming back.
“I think the majors should have the best players in the world and I think those guys deserve the right to go in and play the major championships. Will it be awkward for some? Yes. For me it won’t be because I’ll be catching up with some mates, which is going to be great and I’m hoping that I get to see them.”
