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Jason Day intends to use a sharper short game and special course preview to push for a place on Ernie Els’ International team to contest the Presidents Cup in December.
On the back of his win at Monday’s Japan Skins Challenge at the same venue that will host this week’s inaugural ZOZO Championship, Day will join fellow Australians Adam Scott and Marc Leishman in the 78-man PGA TOUR field at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba.
Declared the winner of the Skins event that also featured Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Hideki Matsuyama, Day not only pocketed $US210,000 but greater confidence in his short game that he said was “non-existent” only a week earlier.
Requiring one of four captain’s selections to join Scott, Leishman and Cameron Smith at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne from December 9, Day said he was encouraged by a turnaround around the greens that included a creative sand save with his 6-iron.
“That my short game is starting to come around,” Day said when asked of what he could take from the Skins Challenge beyond an enhanced bank account.
“My short game was non-existent last week, but it was nice to be able to hole some putts coming down the stretch, hit some good shots.
“The short game really showed up and that’s usually the strength of my game.
“So I’m excited about that, especially coming into a week like this having played the golf course as well.”
The day prior to Day’s exhibition match, Scott was grinding out a top-five finish at the Japan Open.
In extremely difficult conditions, Scott was one of few players to better 70 in the final round, his sixth top-10 in his past 10 starts elevating him two spots to be ranked 15th in the world, his equal highest position in more than two years.
Third at the Safeway Open last month, Leishman was tied for 43rd at the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges in South Korea last week.
Day is the first of the Aussies out off the 10th tee at 10.30am AEDT alongside Americans Patrick Reed and Tony Finau, Kiwi Danny Lee has been drawn with Japan favourite Ryo Ishikawa and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello, Scott is alongside Presidents Cup teammate Matsuyama and Jordan Spieth with Leishman the last away with Gary Woodland and Collin Morikawa at 11.50am.
