Jason Day has dreamed of winning the Masters Tournament since he was a 9-year-old watching Tiger Woods win his first green jacket in 1997.
The 25-year-old Australian sits atop the Masters leaderboard at 6-under-par after shooting an impressive 68 in blustery conditions Friday.
“When I was 12 and a half and I met Colin (his caddie and swing coach Colin Swatton), we started building a game to suit Augusta,” said Day, who tied for second in his first Masters appearance two years ago. “You need to be able to control distance out here and hit the ball high on your second and third shots … and I’ve done nothing but a lot of short game since I was 13.”
That short game came in handy Friday. After making the turn in 35, Day started to get things together with back-to-back birdies at Nos. 10 and 11.
His tee shot at No. 12 found Rae’s Creek, but he made a beautiful pitch shot to kick-in range to save bogey. He birdied the 13th after hitting a 4-iron approach from 215 yards and two putting.
Day took the lead at the par-3 16th hole, draining a 12-foot putt for birdie to get to 6-under.
“It feels like you’re hitting the biggest shot of your life every single shot out here, it’s really, really tough,” Day said. “I’m really happy with how I played today. It’s going to be a long two days … as long as I think through each shot, hopefully I’ll be there come Sunday.”
It’s well known that an Australian has never won the Masters, and Day was asked about it repeatedly after his round.
“It’s all how you look at it,” Day said. “If you look at it as pressure, you’re going to worry about it more. If you look at it as a challenge and an opportunity to be the first and stay positive about it … it only motivates you to play well.”
Day know he faces a test on the weekend, with world No. 1 ranked Tiger Woods lurking three strokes back.
“The moment I start worrying about other players is the moment I start losing focus on what I need to do,” Day said. “And when I do that, I’ll start making bogeys.”
Day was ready to spend some time with his wife, Ellie, and their young son, Dash. Then he’ll be back paired with Fred Couples in Saturday’s final group – chasing after his dream.
“I want to peak at this event, because it’s just the best tournament in the world,” Day said. “I’m really looking forward to the challenge over the weekend.”
