[Photo: Getty images]
Jason Day may have earned a fifth top-10 result at the Masters but the perennial Augusta contender blasted himself for not capitalising on another year in the mix at the April major.
While the former world No.1 saw positive signs from his T-8 finish at five-under-par, which was six shots back of a playoff Rory McIlroy won over Justin Rose, it was the second time that Day started the final day at Augusta on the same score as a player who either won or was in a playoff.
Day began the final round of the 2016 Masters tied with Danny Willett, the Englishman who went on to win the green jacket that day.
On Sunday, Day began the Masters finale seven shots behind 54-hole leader McIlroy, the same score as Rose.
But he couldn’t get out of first gear with a final round of even-par 72 that never remotely threatened McIlroy and Rose. “It’s annoying to give myself the opportunities out there and not be able to take them,” Day said.
Day, who was runner-up at the Masters on debut in 2011 and third to Adam Scott in 2013, couldn’t yet see the silver lining that only five years ago, he was riddled with back injuries and briefly went away from long-time coach Col Swatton as he searched for his game. In 2022, he plummeted to world No.175 in the middle of a prolonged slump. Day also contemplated early retirement.
Now at 37, he’s contending at the Masters again and is now back to world No.31.
“It’s nice to be like third group from the end, at least trying to give myself a chance at winning the Masters,” Day said. “I’m pretty gutted right now. It’s annoying to give myself the opportunities out there and not be able to take them. I mean, it’s a step in the right direction. That’s all I can say. It’s hard to walk off the golf course and go straight into an interview even though I’m pretty headless right now.”
