Is It Jason Day's Turn for a Green Jacket?


Jason Day has come close before at Augusta National. In his four previous Masters the 27-year-old has racked up a tie for second in 2011 and a solo third two years later.

He could have joined fellow Aussie Adam Scott in his rousing playoff with Angel Cabrera. But Day, after having a share of the lead late on Sunday, wasn't able to make the critical shots when he needed to down the stretch at Augusta's fabled back nine.

Yet Day, currently ranked fifth in the world behind Rory McIlroy, Henrk Stenson, two-time Masters' winner Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth, has good feelings about Augusta National, site of his favorite major of the year.

He certainly very pleased to see one of his good friends secure the first victory for their home country. "Obviously, I was very happy for Adam," Day said Monday during his Q&A with reporters. "You just have to see after he holed the putt, the emotions that came out of him and how much it really meant to him not only for himself but for Australia, as well. And to be able to be the first Australian to win here is obviously pretty special."

Day would like to be the next Aussie to win a green jacket. "My previous experiences here with the results I've had, I've looked at them, and immediately - I've had some good finishes here, but I'm immediately thinking about, okay, what can I do better next year to try and perform a little bit better here; or, you know, at least give myself another shot at winning the tournament."

In six starts this year, Day has three top-10 finishes, including a victory in February's Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

He will be paired in the first two rounds with American Rickie Fowler and Spaniard Sergio Garcia in one of the marquee groups. They will be the last group off in Thursday's opening round.

Here's what the likeable Aussie had to say during his Monday media session.

MODERATOR: Good afternoon, everyone. It is my pleasure to welcome a very talented young man to the interview room, Jason Day. Jason returns to Augusta National and the Masters Tournament for the fifth time, having already recorded two top 5 finishes here. In 2014, Jason continued to be one of the top competitors on the PGA Tour, winning the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship and securing six Top 10 finishes, including a tie for fourth in the U.S. Open.

So far Jason is off to a successful 2015, picking up his third career PGA Tour win at the Farmers Insurance Open. Welcome, and before taking some questions, would you please comment on how it feels to be at Augusta and how you've been preparing for the tournament.

JASON DAY: It's always good to be back here and playing here. It means you're doing something right. I got off to great start this year, but it's exciting to be back to a place that I absolutely love. Just being out there since Thursday of last - well, I got here Thursday, but Friday; started practicing Friday, Saturday, Sunday, today. Got some good sessions in. And I was just looking forward to the chance of hopefully putting on that green jacket at the end of the week.

Q. When Adam won, you were happy for him, but there was the story that maybe wasn't really told of your disappointment, because that could have also been you. Do you reflect on that now?

JASON DAY: No, not really. Once it happened, it happened, and I didn't really think of it. Obviously I was very happy for Adam. You just have to see after he holed the putt, the emotions that came out of him and how much it really meant to him not only for himself but for Australia, as well. And to be able to be the first Australian to win here is obviously pretty special. But my previous experiences here with the results I've had, I've looked at them, and immediately - I've had some good finishes here, but I'm immediately thinking about, okay, what can I do better next year to try and perform a little bit better here; or, you know, at least give myself another shot at winning the Tournament. I haven't really looked back on it. As soon as it happened, it happened and I'm just immediately trying to get better.

Q. Only twice have you been here 100 percent healthy; you were second and third. Must give you great confidence knowing that coming in healthy, you've gotten pretty close when you've been ready?

JASON DAY: Once again, it's tough because there's a lot of expectation for me to go out there and play well. Obviously you're out there and everyone is yelling out, saying this is your year and you have players coming up to you saying, this is your year. Sometimes it's hard to kind of just not get caught up in the moment when you hear that the whole time. And the biggest thing for me is preparation, being able to come into an event like this with a lot of expectations, not only from the Patrons, but for myself, being able to finish the way I did; having the expectation that I can go out there and win it, I just have to finish it off.

I kind of involve myself heavily into the preparation just to try and distract myself away from that, because I really do - this is one tournament that it's been a dream goal of mine to be able to win this event. I've been spending a lot of time on the greens, especially the last two days, five, five and half hours on Sunday on the front nine and then another four hours on the back nine today just chipping around and trying to familiarize myself with how the greens are. Not so much the firmness, because obviously it changes later on in the week, really what kind of lines I need to take on certain chip shots, certain putts. But just in case I do have that during the week that I'm prepared. And like I said before, it's obviously better to over prepare here than under prepare. And having all the information gathered, I can make a better decision when I'm out there playing.

Q. You said you love it here and you've obviously had some good finishes here. What is it about the golf course that you love and might fit your eye?

JASON DAY: I think the first part stems back to watching Tiger win back in '97, just the love of the golf tournament, the love of the golf course, watching him dominate here really kind of - I guess that's what really got me into golf a lot more than what I was before. And then to be able to come here and play so well the first year as a rookie, and finish second, and really finish the way I did, definitely gave myself some good memories. I think, you know, being able to manage attitude and emotion out there is obviously a key thing here. Then again, it's all about how much you want it. I really do want to win this tournament. It's just one thing that I want to go through and just make sure I give it 100 percent.

I feel I have the game and the game plan to attack this golf course the way it needs to be. But there's going to be a lot of stiff competition: Tiger's coming back and everyone's excited to see how he is; and Rory is trying to get his Slam; Jordan is coming off a great stretch of golf that it looks like he's peaking great for this event. There's a lot of tough competition ahead of me, and I'm looking forward to the challenge. It's always fun to be here and there's always a lot of drama come Sunday.

Q. I was just going to ask you that very question. When you talk about your dream of winning Augusta, you singled out Rory, and the fact that Jordan is in form and Tiger is back; does it make it any easier for you guys that the spotlight is on others?

JASON DAY: It definitely makes it a lot easier. I guess people are still watching me, but they are interested to see if Rory can make it happen. They are seeing how Jordan goes, and seeing what Tiger has got. Obviously he hasn't played for a while, but everyone's excited and interested to see how he performs this week; what the state of the game is for him, because he's such a huge part of golf. Everyone enjoys watching him. Obviously we got very blessed with a 15 year span of the domination that he had out here, and as a competitor, I didn't like it very much, but it's just good to see. And he was always my hero growing up watching him. It's going to be an exciting week regardless of how everyone else goes. But it's going to be a fun week.

Q. You mentioned, you talked about Adam Scott being the first Australian. Did your attitude towards winning this event change after Adam had won?

JASON DAY: I just want to win it even more now. It would be nice to, I don't know, it just - to be honest, I would love to be able to slip on the green jacket. It would be an unbelievable feeling. It doesn't matter. I'm always going to try and improve and get better each and every year here, and that goes for every other tournament. But this one is that much special.

Q. First of all, to practice for four and a half hours on the front nine today, how do you do that without holding up the field or getting called into the Chairman's office?

JASON DAY: I'm very cautious of where guys are. I always - when I let the guys in, because I watch the guys hit into the green and I'm always trying to keep out of the guys' way, because I know they're chipping around, too, and putting. But I know that they'll be a lot quicker than me. So I'm never trying to hold them up at all, and whenever I see guys behind me, I'm always calling them up straightaway and getting out of the way, because obviously no one likes to be held up. It was good to be able to get out there and chip around and putt around. I was very courteous; I felt like I was very courteous of people's play out there. I was very busy over the last two days, but I felt like I got a lot golf work in there.

Q. Secondly, when you mention Tiger, there's a number of players kind of in your age group, very talented players who grew up watching Tiger, and you could also make the case of how much you learned from him, which is why there's so much great depth right now. Can you think of any kind of specific moment of watching Tiger on TV that you learned from?

JASON DAY: Not really. I mean, it was just every week, you would hear - especially back home, because I was growing up and the only way I could see Tiger was watching the major championships, because back then we had antennas and a little turn knob TV. I didn't have cable like we do over here. So we only had four or five channels back home. The only time I could get to watch him was when he played major championships. And the majority of time he was playing in those tournaments was when he was in his peak and he was dominating the way he did back in 2000, 2001, early '90s, late '90s and early 2000. Just obviously watching him and watching him win the way he did

Q. You wanted to be like that?

JASON DAY: I knew that I - I wouldn't say - I wanted to be like that, yes. I wanted to go out there and play like he did. I know you're striving towards that. But I never thought, oh, my God, I'm going to grow up and be Tiger Woods. I never thought about winning that much. I just wanted to be - to be honest, I wanted to be out here playing on the PGA Tour and playing in major championships. That's all I've ever wanted, and then obviously wanting to win this tournament. They are the two main goals I've always had and I've always been honest about it, winning this tournament and getting to No. 1 in the world; that's all I've ever wanted. And obviously seeing Tiger, the way he played, that obviously helped that along, as well.

Q. Jason, by wanting something so much, does it make it harder to attain?

JASON DAY: I think in 2013, that's what hurt me. When I had the lead on 16, I wanted it so much that I think I put so much pressure on myself that I ended up bogeying 16 and 17. That's what I was trying to get at earlier by saying managing your attitude and emotions; making sure you don't get too high, too low. We hear it all the time, but really, when you're out in the heat of the moment, it's something very, very difficult to manage. Being able to control your breathing, so you don't get too high and hit a 7 iron 20 yards longer than you should do; that's very difficult to do, but the more times I try to put myself in contention, I think the easier it becomes. I just want to keep knocking at the door. I think the more times I do it, hopefully it will fall my way soon. I just have to go out and try, but not try to hard, I would say.

Q. Is it fair enough to say that at the end of your career, if you've won this tournament, in your mind, you will have had a great career? Does it mean that much to you?

JASON DAY: Yeah, yeah (smiling). I mean, just once again, it's all in how you look at things. Because, I mean, some guys may just want to be able to get on to the PGA Tour and they are happy with that. Some guys want to get inside the Top 50 and they are happy with that. Everyone has different goals in life. Everyone has different things they want to try and achieve. To win this tournament, this is one of those things that has always been a lifelong goal of mine and we've been working towards that. We've been gearing my golf game ever since I was 12, 13, which started with Col, to try and attack this golf tournament; building my game towards this golf tournament. Winning this tournament and whatever I win after, that would be a bonus.

Q. So fair to say that this is the No. 1 goal, basically, of your career, to come back every year as a champion and go to the dinner -

JASON DAY: Yeah, to be able to do that would be pretty special.

Q. Fifty years ago Jack shot 17 under to set the record and in'97, Tiger broke it and was 18 under. Is 19 under conceivable on this course?

JASON DAY: Yes and no. It all depends on - depends on how the course is set up and how quick the greens are, how firm the greens are, how accessible the pins are, how good someone is playing that week. You may have a Jordan Spieth who runs away and wins by ten or Rory that wins by ten, could do it pretty easy. It's achievable, but the percentage of it happening is very, very low. But I do think it's achievable.

Q. Since your last high finish here, you've had the two victories. How important in your mind have they been in taking your game to that next level to win a major?

JASON DAY: I think out of - obviously when you come to events like this, I feel like I feel the most pressure here. I don't know what it is, it's just a feel about the patrons and the people watching around the world, there's much more buzz here. You know, it's just I feel like the way I've played here has definitely helped myself get over to that next hurdle and to be able to be a lot more consistent as a player, but also know that I can go out there and win. And I think the biggest thing for me is to really say, I really want it, like I can do it. I think that's the hardest thing, because the amount of people that I talk to, the amount of veterans that I talk to, great players. I feel like my game and the way that I think about my game and the process that I'm heading on, I feel like I'm heading in the right direction and I know that I'm right there. And I think the next step is up here, because mental and how much heart you've got is obviously huge.

Q. The Match Play and Torrey, they would have helped solidify in your brain, I imagine, that you've proven that you can do it now.

JASON DAY: Yeah, I can. And I question that all the time just to say, why can't I do that the week after, or why can't I do that this week; and why do I go out sometimes and I have an awful practice session and go out and shoot 67; and why do I sometimes come out and flush it on the range and shoot 76 - or hopefully not that high. Those are things that I'm always questioning and I'm trying to find answers to, because we are all trying to find that certain thing, almost like a blueprint where we can really go out and attack a golf course without any fear, kind of like we are talking about the zone.

You know, those weeks that I played the Match Play, and Torrey, I wanted that I wanted to win them so bad. I think in my head and in my heart, I wasn't going to quit until I won it. And it's easier to say, okay, I'm going to come to an event like this and say I'm going to win it, I'm not going to stop until I win this event. It's easy to say that, but it's hard to do it. That's what I'm trying to get it. You have to want to win. You look at guys that have dominated for a long time. You look at Tiger in his face and his emotions, he wanted to win every event he played in, especially during that span of domination; that he just wanted it more than everyone else. There's so much that practice and natural talent can get you, but it's all about the want and the will to get the ball in the hole.

Q. What does it do for your confidence in saying that, one of those greats of the game I'm sure you've spoken to is Greg Norman, with the agony that he's gone through, what does that do for your confidence, Greg and all that he's gone through here at Augusta, says about you that you can win -

JASON DAY: Obviously he was a little bit before me when that happened to Greg. I know that this is the one tournament that he really wanted to win. Knowing that I've been close a couple times already in such a short time, it gives me a lot of confidence in my abilities. But it's just, once again, I've got to make sure that everything is okay and everything's got to be in line. I'm not going to sugar coat anything out here. I've got to make sure that I'm confident in my game. I have to make sure that I manage my emotions and attitude and I have to want it; and you have to have everything in line. You have to have everything in line in your personal life, you've got to have everything in line on the golf course, because if there's one little chink in the armor, everything can unravel here. Once you start making mistakes out here, they can compound and you could pretty much play yourself out of the golf tournament pretty quickly here. So, you know, when you have to accomplish a mission, you've got to have everything in line and perfect to be able to go out there and try and achieve that goal. No, it's a good, fun week with all that said and done.

Q. How has your preparation been different this year and what have you been concentrating on?

JASON DAY: I felt like that I wasn't as sharp with my short game this year, so that's what I was trying to get at earlier where I was spending 5½ hours on the front nine Sunday and four hours today on the back side just chipping and chipping and putting. I feel like my game plan from tee to green is pretty good, but around the greens, you definitely have to have that touch. You have to have the - you've got to hit it - I always say you have to hit it hard enough but soft enough around here. If people get that, if you get that, then you understand what it means to chip around Augusta. And that's kind of what I've been trying to work on is just really having the touch around here because you definitely need the touch and to get the lines right. You could be hitting a chip shot and you might hit the same chip shot, one with less spin and one with more spin, and they could be 20, 30 feet apart, but you could hit it on the same line, you know what I mean. So it's got to be precise here. That's kind of what I've been working on, especially over the last two, since Friday.

Q. Did you do anything different with your bag this week?

JASON DAY: I did a few tweaks with TrakMan today, just trying to get the wedges. My wedge, I was a little worried that my pitching wedge wasn't going the distance. We are trying to get about 150 out of it. It was going a little shorter, spinning a little too much and going a little high. We tweaked that a little bit. We are going to keep the 1 iron out of the bag, leave the 2 iron in. Yeah, no 1 iron this week. But other than that, everything is pretty much the same. Have the same putter that I had when I had it here in 2011, so that should be good memories from that putter. But nothing really big on the front.

Q. You mentioned your two goals of going to No. 1 in the world and winning the Masters. If the golfing gods only allowed you one, which one gives you more pleasure?

JASON DAY: Stop. You always ask these questions, really hard questions.

Q. You brought it up.

JASON DAY: You're the one who asked it (laughter). (Leaning back, shaking head). You know what, it's tough, because this is the tournament that got me into golf a lot more. And being No. 1 has always been a lifelong goal of mine, just to be able to say you're No. 1, you are the best golfer on the planet, just for one day would be the best thing ever; knowing that you were the best in the world, would be pretty neat. But to be able to slip on a green jacket, I don't know - I don't know (laughing). That's a difficult one, mate.

Q. You're giving a non answer, aren't you?

JASON DAY: I am. I'm dancing around the question (smiling).

Q. How many other players do you know carry a 1 iron?

JASON DAY: Currently? I was just - who was I talking to, Faldo the other way. I was talking to Faldo and watching him play, and he was looking at my 1 iron and I said, it's not like the old days where you had a butter knife. These things are big, old thick things that you can get up in the air. It's modern day technology, it certainly has changed a lot. I wouldn't say too many guys would have a 1 iron. I have never seen, other than myself, another guy have a 1 iron. I see a lot of guys having driving irons, but not with that good old 1 number on the head, I've never seen another guy have that. Hey, I appreciate it, guys. I'm looking forward to a good week and it's always fun to be here, as everyone else knows, that being here is a pretty special place. So thanks a lot.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much.

The transcript for the above interview is courtesy of ASAP Sports.