Jason Day pondered a tip in a text from Tiger Woods this week, but the Australian’s struggles continued as Emirates Australian Open champion Jordan Spieth made the early running in the US PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
Day began with a two-over par 72 with 31 putts that left him tied-111th through the first round at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell.
Woods, who is undergoing treatment after being arrested while asleep at the wheel of his vehicle near his home in Florida recently, texted Day during the US Open last week, but Day did not call back.
“He texted me after I shot 79 (at the US Open on Thursday) and said, ‘Hey, before you work on something, call me because I saw something’,” Day said.
“I was like, ‘Yeah, you saw 79 shots’. I didn’t call him because I was so angry.”
Both Day and Rory McIlroy have reached out to Woods in recent days. “When you see guys go through things like this, you want to make sure they are in the right spot and I’m hoping for a speedy recovery,” Day said.
Spieth rattled around the course in seven-under 63 to lead the Travelers and none of the Australian contingent made much ground.
Veterans Rod Pampling and Cameron Percy at three-under were the best of the group that includes rookie professional Brett Coletta, who had a 74, and his fellow Golf Australia rookie program member Ryan Ruffels, who started with 71.
