SAN DIEGO – As each week went by without a win Jason Day became a little more frustrated. A little madder. And a little harder to be around. He watched young guns Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth and long-time rival Dustin Johnson dominate 2017 and finally turned the annoyance of not being part of it into motivation. It was less than a year ago he was still world No. 1 before Johnson took it from him and hasn’t looked back. Meanwhile, without a win since the 2016 PLAYERS Championship, Day had free-fallen to 14th on the world stage entering the Farmers Insurance Open this week. There were extenuating circumstances – a cancer scare for his mother curtailed his regular focus and practice time – but he still expected more of himself. With every win from Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson his goal of being the best was slipping further and further away. He also dealt with a mini split from Colin Swatton – who reverted to full-time coach and moved away from caddy duties – because Day was afraid of damaging the friendship. He was snapping at everyone. But over the off-season he got things back in sync. And in his first start in 2018 he grabbed career win No. 11 with his triumph over Alex Noren in a six-hole playoff. Now his sights are firmly set on winning the FedExCup – he moved to ninth in the standings – and climbing back to world No. 1 – he is now 10th. In short – he is telling his rivals – look out. “Last year was a good kick in the butt, you know, not really being talked about — and being talked about for the wrong reasons,â€� Day said. “Last year I felt mentally stressed but also rundown, burnt out. It was hard for me to be on the golf course, but this year my whole mindset’s different. I’m very motivated to get back to the No. 1 spot and I know that the only way to get back to the No. 1 spot is win and that’s what I’ve just got to do. “I’ve said it for the longest time, I’ve always wanted to be the No. 1 player in the world. I got there for 51 weeks but I’ve always wanted to be a dominant No. 1 player in the world. “I’ve got to keep trying to build and build and build and hopefully win the FedEx Cup at the end of the year.â€� The biggest question mark on Day’s ability to make the long climb back is just that – his back. He pulled out of the pro-am with soreness this week and admitted he couldn’t bend over to hit a golf ball just a few weeks ago. He now must continue to manage it going forward, saying it takes about an hour or 90 minutes worth of work every day. “My facet joints just got a little bit larger over the years just through constant wear and tear of hitting golf balls,â€� he explained. “When they get a little bit larger, they get a little bit closer to the nerve, and when they get close to the nerve and things kind of all align, your back can go out and you can get shooting pains down both legs. Even last night to a certain degree I had pain going down my right leg. “But I know that I need to do my posture, my mobility exercises. I know that I need to go back and ice it straightaway and I need to heat it up every morning before I come. I’m constantly doing stuff trying to maintain my back.â€� Next up for Day is the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am where he intends to make further statements against his rivals. He will be joined there by the likes of defending champion Spieth, Johnson and Rory McIlroy … what a great year we have in store.
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