Healthy at Last, Jason Day Contends at WM Phoenix Open With Revamped Swing
“Let’s have a day, Day!”
“Jason, it’s your Day baby!”
A symphony of encouraging puns, Aussie greetings and booming chants echoed throughout the stadium at TPC Scottsdale’s famed 16th hole. After curling in a birdie to take a solo lead, the 12-time PGA Tour winner retrieved his ball from the cup and withstood a forceful underhand high-five from his playing partner, Billy Horschel.
Everyone with a view of the scene seemed happy that Day sank a key putt—even his opponent.
The Australian finished his first round on Friday morning following a weather-delayed opener, signing for a bogey-free 65. Day didn’t have much time to process the stellar start, as his group signed their scorecards and headed straight to the 10th tee box for Round 2. If anything, the quick turnaround could have allowed for some preexisting momentum to continue, but Day ultimately posted an even par 71. He sits four strokes back of Scottie Scheffler, who currently leads.
Day, 35, has flown under the radar for quite some time now. Back injuries have plagued the former world No. 1’s game for more than five years. “I just kind of sacrificed myself to get to No. 1,” Day said earlier this year at the American Express. Day struggled with consistency, as he couldn’t practice nearly as much as he would have liked to.
Now Day is enjoying a pain-free world. He’s quietly back inside the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking, now 91st after three top-20s in his last four starts.
“I’ve been feeling great actually for a good long while now,” Day said in January. “So I’ve just been kind of seeing myself healthier.”
Day’s new and improved form explains a lot about the current state of his game. A freed-up back does more than just make it easier to get out of bed, it allows one to make pivotal swing path changes. For Day, however, the process also works the other way around: An altered swing shape is the only way that he could keep swinging without pain.
“I've had to make those changes because of my body. Unfortunately, I'm going through the testing phase right now of trying to change that as I compete,” Day said following the completion of his second round.
It’s clear from his pre-shot routine that Day is working to shallow out the club. Watch Day, and you’ll see him rehearse the move in slow-motion: The shallow path requires the club head to drop ever so slightly in his downswing, while his hips rotate to make room for the hands as they rotate through the ball. After he demonstrates the exaggerated feel, Day closes his eyes for a brief moment, moving on to the visualization practice that has been a longstanding staple in his routine.
Day’s recent swing changes are at the top of his mind—he even appeared to compare moves with Horschel in the middle of TPC Scottsdale’s 15th fairway on Friday.
“I'm so obsessed with the swing and getting it to a certain point that I call [Chris] Como at 1 o'clock in the morning just because I have an idea,” Day said.
Como is the coach and brains behind Day’s revamped swing. He’s known for his previous work with Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau, but for the past year-and-a-half Como has helped Day with those difficult adjustments. At Day’s last start, the Farmers Insurance Open, he told reporters that he planned on visiting Como for a tune-up ahead of Phoenix.
At the Farmers Insurance Open, Day compared the shift in his downswing to the strange and often tortuous sensation of a grip change. Any golfer knows how difficult it is to implement that new feel, especially in competition. It’s almost as though you’re relearning the golf swing completely.
“It's been really difficult to change the swing and compete out here. I would love to have a swing like a Rahm or Rory that is tested over time and it's been successful.” Day said.
Although Day’s swing work has progressed in stages, it’s obvious that he has seen a transformation in his ability to contend. The fans in Phoenix are behind him. The winner’s circle could soon open once again.