Despite holding a major championship title and once standing as the world number one, Jason Day’s recent performance at the Masters has been less than stellar, with only a single top 10 finish at Augusta National since 2017. As the first major of the year rapidly approaches, the world’s elite golfers, including Day, are already setting their sights on Augusta’s coveted green jacket, a symbol of golfing immortality.
The Masters is a unique event in the golfing world, renowned for being the only major that is played on the same course each year. This consistency, however, does not make it any less challenging. The tournament has seen its fair share of low scores and stunning victories, but it’s also been the stage for some truly disastrous performances, where leaders have been made to look foolish and quickly knocked out of contention.
A significant part of the challenge lies in mastering Augusta National’s notorious greens. For instance, Jon Rahm had to recover from a four-putt on his opening green to ultimately secure a win in 2023. The mental fortitude required to navigate these putting surfaces over the course of four grueling days is immense.
In a recent conversation on Bryan Bros Golf, Jason Day shared some insights on how to conquer these challenging greens. According to Day, dealing with the breaking putts is crucial. These putts can potentially be a foot outside the hole from four feet. The key, Day emphasised, is to get comfortable with hitting the line at the correct speed. If hit too hard, the ball will miss high side and roll far away. Therefore, commitment and precision are essential. A lack of commitment, Day warns, can result in missing a significant number of putts during the week.
Day’s own journey in the world of golf has been a rollercoaster. After winning the PGA Championship in 2015, it seemed like the start of a series of major victories for the Australian golfer. He followed this up with two FedEx Cup playoff wins, taking his total victory count for the year to five. However, a string of injuries and inconsistent form prevented him from maintaining this dominance. Despite these setbacks, Day is once again ranked among the world’s best golfers.
Though he is not expected to be a top contender for the majors in 2025, it would not be surprising to see him put up a strong challenge. When asked by Wesley Bryan to rank the majors based on his eagerness to win them as a young golfer, Day revealed that Augusta was his clear favorite. The 17-year-old Day dreamt of winning at Augusta – a dream that still holds true today.
With Scottie Scheffler still struggling to reach his peak and Xander Schauffele sidelined due to injury, the upcoming Masters may present Day with an excellent opportunity to chase his dream and secure a win at Augusta.