His latest near-miss at St Andrews last month may have given the Australian the key that will take him across the threshold. Another foot and he would have been in the play-off, and who knows, maybe travelling to the final major of the season this week with the Claret Jug in his luggage.
Advertisement
Along with Rickie Fowler and Johnson, who happened to be in his threesome Thursday, Day is on that short list of players who could be considered “best to not win a major”.
“But you still just got to play your game no matter where you’re at”.
“I thought I did a great job of just staying patient, hitting the shots that the course allowed me to hit”. His first top-10 came here five years ago, when playing in his second major; Day found himself one shot out of the lead with 10 holes to play before eventually finishing in a tie for 10th.
It was no coincidence.
The Whistling Straits course hosts the 97th PGA Championship this week and Day revealed that you have to be accurate with the driver, or risk being caught up in the thick rough that borders the narrow fairways.
“The last round of the Open Championship I felt different, ” he said. Everything was kind of slow-paced.
“I managed my game better today than I normally would”. You can’t just wake up and say I have patience today, you need to learn it.
“We talk about how hard people work and stuff like that but the last bit of the puzzle is up here [points to head], having the belief and confidence that you can do the stuff other guys do on Sundays”. That’s what I have done over most of my career.
The course, a 7,800 links-style monster on the shores of Lake Michigan an hour north of Milwaukee, is another that favours the long hitters, which brings Day, third in the PGA Tour driving stats, into obvious contention. Now married with a son, Dash, and another child on the way, all that is missing is that first major.
Spieth said one of the goals he set at the beginning of the year was to make the cut in all four Majors.
“I didn’t hit it as well as I know I can but the early birdies got the round going and then I held on down the stretch when I needed to”, Jones said.
“I pride myself on the couple of Majors I won and went there with the intention to win when I was in my 30s”.
Further birdies at the first, second and fourth holes were only soured by his third-hole bogey.
A bogey on the ninth was his only blemish, but a birdie on the 13th ensured he’d join Day in the clubhouse at four under. By increments that attitude is taking him closer to nirvana.
Advertisement
Day bounced back from his St. Andrews disappointment by birdieing the final hole to win the Canadian Open the following week.
