A heavy-hearted Jason Day will tee it up at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass this week, looking to throw himself back into work after his mother Dening’s death last week.
Dening Day, 65, died last week after a near five-year battle with lung cancer.
The Australian golf star withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, last week’s tournament, to be with his family by Dening’s bedside as she passed away peacefully last Wednesday in Ohio.
One-time Major winner Day was back on the horse on Tuesday, playing a practice round at TPC Sawgrass alongside Brooks Koepka and Peter Malnati ahead of the Players Championship
He is one of seven Australians in the elite field, joining 2004 Players Championship winner Adam Scott, Lucas Herbert, Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Cam Davis and Matt Jones.
Former world No.1 and 2016 Players Championship winner Day told Australian Golf Digest it was pleasing to be back in a tournament environment.
“It’s good to be at TPC Sawgrass and to have something to focus on and to be in that tournament mindset,” he said on Tuesday.
“This is a big event and there is already a buzz around TPC Sawgrass; I can feel it and it’s nice.”
Day won the Players – considered golf’s unofficial fifth Major due to its depth of world-class players – in 2016 with a course record-equalling 63 en route do a four-shot win.
But that was when the Players was held in May, a time of year when Florida’s temperatures are scorching. Day won on a firm, fast TPC Sawgrass three years before the event reverted to its previous March slot.
The conditions this week, though, will be far cooler and the course playing softer. Rain, thunderstorms and temperatures in the low 20s (C) are forecast for the first three rounds, while Sunday’s final round could see temperatures as low as 8C.
“I always get good vibes when I come back to the Players; this week the conditions couldn’t be more opposite to when I won but I know what it takes to contend at this course and among the best field in golf,” Day said.
“My swing feels good; it’s coming along.”
Scott, the 2013 Masters winner, has been given a marquee grouping for the first two rounds alongside 2008 Players winner Sergio Garcia and former British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen.
Smith is also in a big-name group with reigning Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and Joaquin Niemann.
TEE TIMES AEST
Matt Jones: 11.29pm (Thursday AEST); Scott (off 10th tee)
Cam Smith: 11.40pm
Jason Day: 4.23am (Friday AEST)
Cam Davis 4.34am
Lucas Herbert: 4.56am
Marc Leishman: 5.18am
