Jason Day Almost Quit Golf Before Tiger's Chipping Yips Saved His Career
The Australian is back to somewhere near his best after a slump that had him spiralling down the world rankings
Jason Day has revealed how a chance encounter with Chris Como while Tiger Woods was suffering with the chipping yips helped resurrect his career.
The Australian spent 51 weeks as the World No. 1 between 2015 and 2017 and clinched his first and only Major to date at the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
Lifting the Wanamaker Trophy was his second win of four in six starts as Day established himself as the force to be reckoned with in the men's game, before running into injury problems and a loss of form that saw him plummet down the rankings.
He has since rebuilt his golf swing to make it less strenuous on his body and is now back among the world's top 20 having fallen almost outside the top 200, but it could have been very different were it not for the surprise short game issues that plagued Woods.
"When Tiger was going through the chipping yips, Tiger invited me out to kind of go over chipping technique and everything like that," Day told The Sydney Morning Herald. "Chris Como had seen a ton of 3D bio-testing of my chipping and they wanted to pick my brain, I guess, about what I thought and all that stuff in regards to the chipping.
"And I remember coming out of that meeting with Tiger and Chris and thinking, 'There’s something about Chris’. He’s very quiet, listens very intently, but you could tell that he knew a lot about the game and knew it at a deeper level, what the club should be doing.
"There was just something about him that drew me to him, so I just knew when I talked to him about the golf swing that he was very switched on."
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Such were Day's issues that he became renowned for withdrawing from events, either due to his debilitating back problems or as a result of his vertigo symptoms. After his first win in five years at the AT&T Byron Nelson, the Australian admitted the extent to which the physical impacted the mental, and how close he came to hanging up his clubs for good.
"There were definitely times when I thought, 'You know what, I’m done playing the game'. Just because of the stress it was putting on me and what it was doing to my health," he added.
"Mentally, I was not there and I wasn’t confident in myself. I honestly felt like I didn’t have the game and that maybe I was one of those guys that had a really good career and injuries hurt me and through the battling of injuries and trying to get back to the top, maybe I was one of those guys who was going to go out that way.
"But I didn’t want to look back on my career and know that I didn’t give it a good shot to get back."
A lifelong golf fan, Andy graduated in 2019 with a degree in Sports Journalism and got his first role in the industry as the Instruction Editor for National Club Golfer. From there, he decided to go freelance and now covers a variety of topics for Golf Monthly.
Andy took up the game at the age of seven and even harboured ambitions of a career in the professional ranks for a spell. That didn’t pan out, but he still enjoys his weekend golf at Royal Troon and holds a scratch handicap. As a side note, he's made five holes-in-one and could quite possibly be Retief Goosen’s biggest fan.
As well as the above, some of Andy's work has featured on websites such as goal.com, dailyrecord.co.uk, and theopen.com.
What's in Andy's bag?
Driver: Callaway Mavrik Sub-Zero (9°)
3-wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (15°)
Driving iron: Titleist U500 (17°)
Irons: Mizuno mp32 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM9 (50°, 54° and 58°)
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2.5
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
-
JM Eagle LA Championship Prize Money Payout 2024
There’s a record purse for a regular-season LPGA Tour event at Wilshire Country Club
By Mike Hall Published
-
‘I Think I Can Be Helpful’ – Rory McIlroy Opens Up On Potential Return To PGA Tour Policy Board
The four-time Major winner resigned from the board six months ago, but with the game still fractured, he could be about to return
By Mike Hall Published
-
Reports: Tiger Woods Set To Receive $100m Loyalty Payday From PGA Tour
The 15-time Major champion is set to be rewarded handsomely for sticking with the US-based circuit
By Andrew Wright Published
-
Tiger Woods Names Jupiter Links GC TGL Roster
The 15-time Major winner has revealed the three players to compete alongside him in the delayed TGL next year
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Verne Lundquist Lifts Lid On Emotional Masters Farewell With Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods shared a poignant moment with the legendary broadcaster beside the 16th green in the final round at Augusta
By Ben Fleming Published
-
Tiger Woods Finishes Last At 2024 Masters Following Highest Total Score Of Pro Career
Woods putted out for a final round 77 at Augusta to finish on +16, but the veteran still vowed to play the rest of the year's Majors
By James Nursey Published
-
Tiger Woods Impresses On Masters Day One With 23 Holes To Play On Friday
Woods played 13 holes in one-under-par on Thursday afternoon before play was called due to darkness
By Elliott Heath Last updated
-
Why Is Tiger Woods Not Wearing Nike At The Masters?
At the start of 2024 Tiger Woods revealed he wouldn't be wearing Nike anymore, but why is that? We explain all here.
By Sam Tremlett Published
-
Tiger Woods Postponing Ryder Cup Captaincy Talks Until After The Masters
The 15-time Major winner confirmed he will hold talks with PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh once he has competed at Augusta National
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
The Incredible Masters Record Tiger Woods Can Break At Augusta This Week
Five-time Masters champion Woods is practising at Augusta this week where he aims to make cut for a record 24th time
By James Nursey Published