Jason Day flying ‘under the radar’ in Masters tilt

Jason Day thinks about his fade out at the 2013 Masters “all the time” but the Australian star has a chance to atone after climbing into contention with a strong first round.

Australia’s Jason Day says he’s flying “under the radar” in search of the green jacket he threw away at Augusta a dozen years ago.

Day, 37, has climbed back up the world rankings and into contention again at the Masters.

“I feel like I’m definitely coming in under the radar,” Day said after a first-round, two-under 70.

“I’m not to the point of how Scottie (Scheffler) has been playing, how Rory (McIlroy) has been playing, some of the other guys (but) I just feel very comfortable with where my game is at right now.”

Reuniting with long-time swing coach Colin Swatton has worked wonders for the former world No.1.

This is Day’s 14th appearance at Augusta. He finished third behind Adam Scott in 2013 (after carding back-to-back bogeys at 16 and 17) and was tied for second in 2011.

He admits the 2013 fade out is something he thinks about “all the time”, but it’s an experience money can’t buy at Augusta National.

Jason Day says he’s flying “under the radar” at the Masters. Picture: AP

“I was talking to Min Woo Lee about it yesterday. We played (practice rounds) Tuesday and Wednesday — I said, you can’t overpower this golf course. He’s got the power to overpower a golf course.

“Kind of the same thing as when Bryson (DeChambeau) came out and said his par (at Augusta) is 67. You can’t expect to overpower this golf course. You have to respect it enough to be able to go, okay, I’m going to hit it here when I’m out of position.

“The funny thing about Augusta is it’s very, very easy to psych yourself out, depending on how the course is. You know that the progression of play from day-to-day gradually usually gets harder.

“Saturday is usually kind of the hardest day where we try and survive and then obviously they give us a little bit more opportunity on Sunday to have some more birdies, which is nice.”

Cameron Smith has also been in the golfing wilderness since defecting to LIV, but says he rediscovered his touch at last week’s event in Miami.

Smith scrambled for an opening-round one-under 71, despite hitting just six greens in regulation.

“A bit scrappy with the irons (but) the wedges felt great. The putter felt great. Even the driver felt great,” Smith said.

“If I’m going to win this thing, I definitely need to do better than that. Golf is such a weird game.

“I feel like my last round last week at Doral was probably the best I’ve hit it in a long time, and coming out here today is probably the worst I’ve hit it in a long time. (I’m) looking forward to the weekend.”

Australian young gun Min Woo Lee, coming off a debut PGA Tour win at the Houston Open, lived up to the hype shooting a first-round 71, his best start at the Masters.

The world No.23 said he was revelling in being Australia’s highest-ranked player at Augusta.

“One day I dreamt of that, so I’m here now. It is a very cool feeling. I still feel like a kid. I always say that, but I still feel like a kid and I look up to Jason and Scotty (Adam Scott) up there in the rankings,” Lee said.

“It’s quite nice I guess to see that ranking, but we’re looking further than that.

“It’s good. It’s great. I’ve been trying to get to world No. 1. It’s still a quest. Just want to keep playing well and putting myself in contention.”

Cameron Davis shot 74 and Scott a five-over 77.

Originally published as Jason Day flying ‘under the radar’ in Masters tilt