Jason Day wants to go to Paris delivering a blow to Cameron Smith’s hopes
Cameron Smith’s bold showing at Augusta will need to be replicated twice more to get to Paris after Jason Day cleared up his Olympic intentions.
Jason Day has delivered a hammer blow to fellow Queenslander Cameron Smith’s Olympic ambitions, with the Australian No.1 declaring “I’m in” and that it was a “mistake” to skip the 2016 Games in Rio.
It leaves Smith behind Day and fellow Aussie Min Woo Lee in the world rankings pecking order despite a 16-spot bump from tie for sixth at the Masters jumping from 68 to 52 knowing he needed big showings at the first three majors to make it to Paris.
A finish in a tie for 12th for Cam Davis at just his second Masters should also boost him from 62 and leave him as third man in the Olympic pecking order.
Day skipped the 2016 Olympics despite qualifying and it had been unclear whether he maintained ambitions to represent his country amid his career resurgence having dropped out of the world’s top 150 in 2022.
But Day, who closed with a three-under 69 to finish in a tie for 30th finish at Augusta, conceded he “should have gone” to Rio and didn’t want to miss out this time.
“I’ll play. If I’m in, I’ll play for sure. I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
“I think I made a bit of a mistake not going down to Rio, even though part of it was family related. I kind of missed out on that, and I probably should have gone. But if I get the opportunity, I’m looking forward to going.”
Day said he had no preference for a playing partner, with Lee, ranked 32, the man most likely to join him.
Veteran Adam Scott, who finished in a tie for 22nd at Augusta, is ranked higher than Davis but has declared he won’t be going to Paris.
Day, ranked 21, made the point that Smith, despite a fifth top-10 finish in five appearances at Augusta, would need to play well again at the US Open and PGA before the Olympic qualification cut-off to join him.
“I think Min Woo is playing good solid golf and obviously Smithy, playing in LIV you don’t get world ranking points. He needs to play well in the major championships, trying to shoot himself up the leaderboard,” Day said.
Lee, who could play with his sister Minjee at the Olympics, said getting to Paris was, outside winning a major, his main goal in 2023 and he was fitted for an Olympic uniform in Sydney late last year.
“To rep Australia … when you’re a professional, you don’t really get to represent the Australian side,” he said after a closing three-under 69 which had him tied with Scott in 22nd at Augusta National.
“Obviously, every week, week in and week out you represent Aus, but when you’re an amateur, I got to play for Australia a lot of times, so I do miss putting on the green and gold – obviously Jason is a playing partner and a teammate – that will be really special.
“My sister is going to be in there, too, so it will be an unbelievable experience. Hopefully, it can stay this way and I can play.”
AUSSIES AT AUGUSTA
Cameron Smith - tied 6th
Cam Davis - tied 12th
Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee - tied 22nd
Jason Day - tied 30th
Jasper Stubbs (am) - MC
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