[Photo: Getty images]
Jason Day feels he came in under the radar relative to the big names but the former world No.1 and Masters runner up equalled his second-best score in 14 years of opening rounds at Augusta National to be well in contention.
Much of the golf world’s focus has been on four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, who can complete the career grand slam with a Masters win, and defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler. Not much on Day, nor first-round leader Justin Rose, who fired a brilliant seven-under-par 65.
“I feel like I’m definitely coming in under the radar; I’m not [discussed] to the point of Scottie has been playing, how Rory has been playing, and some of the other guys. I feel very just comfortable with where my game is at right now. I’ve just got to do some work on the greens.”
Despite a cold putter, the 37-year-old carded a bogey-free round to finish at two-under and five behind former US Open winner Rose. While Day’s lowest opening score at Augusta was a 67 (2015 and 2023), 70 equalled Day’s next best round which he posted three times in his Masters career. Two of those eventually led to top-five results, notably in 2013. That year, Day eventually went on to lead by two shots with three holes remaining in the final round only to make two bogeys and allow Adam Scott to become the first Australian green jacket winner.
History suggests Day should progress well from here.
Day had an impressive driving and ball-striking round, hitting 15 of 18 greens in regulation and 11 of 14 fairways. But it took him until the iconic par-3 12th to make his first birdie of the day, before adding another on Amen Corner at the par-5 13th. From there, he made five consecutive pars to cement his place on the leaderboard.
“Today it was good; I had a really good strategy out there,” Day said after his 70. “I think I didn’t get myself out of position too badly, and then when I did get myself out of position, I had a relatively easy up-and-down. Unfortunately I just missed a few too many opportunities for birdies. But sitting at two-under right now, I’m pretty happy with it.”
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Day – who shared second place in 2011 on his Masters debut – was pleased at his fast, blemish-free start knowing Augusta National typically shows its teeth through the second and third rounds which he described as requiring “survival” mode.
“The funny thing about Augusta is it’s very, very easy to psych yourself out, depending on how the course is,” he said. “You know that the progression of play from day-to-day gradually usually gets harder. Saturday is usually the hardest day where we try and survive and then obviously they give us a little bit more opportunity on Sunday to have some more birdies, which is nice.
“It’s very receptive out there in regards to the greens. Not overly quick on the greens, but we know that we’re going to have some wind [in the second round], so that will make it very interesting.”
Min Woo Lee and Cameron Smith were next best of the Australians at one under par (71), while Cameron Davis was two-over (74) and Adam Scott was five-over (77).
Lee’s 71 was his best opening round at the Masters by two shots. For a player who has played some impressive final rounds, including in 2022 when he equalled the front-nine scoring record with a six-under-par 30, the Western Australian finally put himself in the mix from the beginning of the tournament.
” I think it’s just being a little bit of a better player, just maturing a little bit, and obviously that [breakthrough PGA Tour] win [at the Houston Open two weeks ago] helped a lot,” Lee said. “I think just getting a bit more comfortable in these conditions with all the people. It is very nice. You can shoot yourself out of it, but you can stay in it on Thursday. I think I did a really good job, and yeah, hopefully the next three days are good.”
