Former world No 1 Jason Day, humbled by poor results but inspired by age-defying NFL star Tom Brady, finds charging up the rankings more enjoyable the second time around.
The 35-year-old Australian, nagged by chronic back pain, missed The Masters last year for the first time since 2010, the year before sharing second in his Masters debut.
Now with a rebuilt swing and gritty determination, Day has five top-10 finishes in his past six PGA Tour starts and after sinking to 175th in the world rankings has jumped back to 35th.
“To be back here this year is very special,” Day said. “I didn’t watch much [last year] out of the sheer disappointment that I wasn’t able to compete. It hurt my confidence a lot, so I’ve been trying to work my way back.”
Day, whose only Major title came at the 2015 PGA Championship, has won 12 PGA Tour events, most recently in 2018 at Quail Hollow. He recalls his heady days atop the rankings after his Major triumph.
“You feel invincible, like it’s never going to leave and you’re going to be on top of the world for a long time,” Day said. “All of a sudden you get injured and that mountain can be very jagged if you fall down it.”
Day’s mother, Dening, died last year of lung cancer, adding to his struggles.
“It has been an unbelievable learning experience, a very humbling experience,” Day said. “To be able to go through this and try and reinvent yourself is unique and I’ve enjoyed that thoroughly.”
Day also took motivation from Brady, who retired earlier this year at age 45 after winning a record seventh Super Bowl title in the 2020 season with Tampa Bay.
“For him to be at that young age of 45 and be competitive in the NFL, it’s remarkable, a true testament to his ability,” Day said. “And then the mental ability he has.
“For the longest time, I said I’ll get to 40 and think about retiring. I feel like I can play to 50 now, which is great, and would be nice to get another 15 years out of my career and see what this second half of my career could unfold.”
Day hopes another Major, and maybe another stint atop the rankings, aren’t out of the question.
“I’m more excited by the journey and trying to get back there,” Day said. “When I got to No 1, I thought I would feel a little bit different and didn’t really change too much. It was sacrifice everything. It came from a very hard place. Forget about how your body feels, just kind of force it in there.
“This time around, I’m learning more about what I need to do to keep myself healthy … I’m enjoying the journey and I’m learning each and every day, and I’ve actually got a lot of love and passion for it.”
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© Agence France-Presse
