With his frustrations behind him Jason Day believes he’s ready to stake his claim on the richest purse in world golf.
Day admits aggravation, irritation and stress infiltrated his golf early this season and the stark realisation it was eating him up from the inside has helped him turn the tide.
Having struggled with hip, back and ankle injuries all season Day has been restricted to just six events in the USA, with last week’s T9 at the Wells Fargo Championship his first top 10 finish.
Apart from obviously being healthy, the 24-year-old says an attitude adjustment was a big player in the form turn-around.
“At the start of the year I was complaining at shots, getting aggravated easily, but last week into now I have decided to just let what happens happen and make a point of enjoying myself again,” Day said.
“I can’t be as disappointed with bogeys or bad breaks, I just have to learn from it and move forward and enjoy myself more.
“And when you make an effort to do that it seems the bounces get a little better, you get luckier that way.”
Day is primed for an assault on the $US9.5 million ($A9.34 million) prize pool, the richest purse in golf at The Players Championship this week, where the winner banks $US1.71 million ($A1.68 million) and even the runner up earns seven figures.
The top 10 golfers and 49 of the world’s top 50 are in attendance with 21 major champions in the mix in the event commonly dubbed the ‘fifth major’.
It will be just his third trip here and while he missed the cut in 2010 he was in the mix last year with a T6 finish.
With hard and fast conditions expected putting will be crucial as will accuracy off the tee as the rough produces some wicked ‘fliers’.
“The more I am out here the more comfortable I am in my own shoes. The tournaments feel familiar and I feel comfortable and at home,” Day says.
“The year has been a bit of a bummer because of the injuries but last week it seemed to come together for most of the week and it is a good confidence builder.
“I grew up on greens like this back in Queensland and I feel like I can read them very well.
“I am looking forward to contending here but I want to keep a level head and not pump myself up too much.
“Like I said, the reality is I am in a really good place right now, I have a kid on the way, I don’t have any worries, my health is back so I’m just happy and that should translate to stress-free smart golf.”
Nine other Australians join the Aussie tilt headed by 2004 champion Adam Scott.
Like Day, Scott has had limited starts but is coming off a tie for eighth at the Masters and a T12 finish on the European Tour a few weeks ago.
Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley, Greg Chalmers, Geoff Ogilvy, Marc Leishman, Nick O’Hern, Rod Pampling and the in-form John Senden round out the Australian contenders.
