By Evin Priest
TEN years before Jason Day earned his first Major victory at the US PGA Championship, he was a bright young amateur featured on the May 2005 issue cover of Australian Golf Digest.
It was a bold editorial decision. A talented 17-year-old from Beaudesert, Queensland – the ‘Next Big Thing’ of Aussie golf.
The humble teen signed the cover with a note to AGDÂ writer Tony Webeck, “Tony, Great article. Thanks for your support – Jason Day.”
Fast forward five years and Day records his first ever top-1o finish in a Major at the 2010 US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Fast forward another five years and he wins that tournament, at the same venue.
So what would the now 27-year-old Day say to his 17-year-old self? Speaking with Australian Golf Digest this morning, Day penned this inspirational verbal letter.
(Dear Jason),Â
“There’s someone in this world that’s younger than you, that may be better or may be worse than you right now, who’s working harder than you right now.
You have to understand you don’t get anywhere in this life without the hard work and dedication that you put into your profession. And some days it’s going to be cruel and heartbreaking, and very frustrating, and other times it’s going to be the best thing that has ever happened to you.
You have to understand that the hard times you go through, and the tough times you go through, are the learning times – the experiences and failures that you can take along as life lessons and really move forward. (You need to) really understand and learn from those experiences.
Never give up – even when you’re going through hard times. When the only thing you want to do is walk away from the game or run away from it and give up on it because it’s just too hard, no one likes that.
It’s the worst thing; because it’s in our human nature to not like it when something bad is happening to us, but it’s all in the mindset you take.
Can I get better from what I am today? The answer is yes. Because there’s always something you can learn from today.”
