In an extensive pre-tournament interview Day gave his thoughts on a diverse range of topics, including:

• Torrey Pines being a possible replacement venue for the relocated Genesis Invitational;
• The Farmers Insurance Open losing some of its status since the days of Tiger Woods’ dominance;
• The impact Signature Events are having on the PGA TOUR; and
• The favourite club in his bag.

It was 10 years ago that Day won at Torrey Pines for the first time, the first of what would be five PGA TOUR titles in 2015, including the 2015 US PGA Championship.

Not since Karrie Webb won five times on the LPGA Tour in 2006 had an Aussie enjoyed such success in a single season on a major tour, Cameron Smith’s historic three-win season in 2022 the only one to come close since.

On the back of a tie for third at The American Express – his best result since finishing tied for second at The Open in 2023 – it has given the 37-year-old cause to believe that his best is tantalisingly within reach.

“I feel like I’m preparing myself for another run,” said Day, a winner at Torrey Pines for a second time in 2018.

“I definitely think that not only is my body moving in the correct way, the correct direction, my swing’s moving in the correct direction and also my mind.

“I’ve actually struck it really nice over the last two weeks and I’ve putted poorly. If I can match those two things… but that’s just golf. When you feel like you’ve got one thing, the other thing goes missing.”

The self-confessed favourite club in his bag, the putter represents the key in Day winning on the PGA TOUR for a 14th time.

After ranking ninth in Strokes Gained: Putting in 2024, Day is currently 153rd from a small data pool.

For a player regarded as one of the greatest putters of the past 20 years, it is a statistical anomaly Day is eager to rectify.

“My putter by far because that’s the thing that I’m known for, even though I haven’t putted good the last few tournaments in a row,” said Day when asked to name the favourite club in his bag.

“It’s not the sexiest thing, you know what I mean? It’s not like hitting a drive like a Rory McIlroy or anything like that, but you hit a clutch putt down the stretch when you need to, nothing better than that because you need it.

“When all else fails and you have the putter going, it’s the thing that’s going to keep you in the game.

“That’s the reason why I love putting the most.”

Joining Day at Torrey Pines is Aaron Baddeley while on the DP World Tour the two most recent Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winners, David Micheluzzi and Kazuma Kobori, and this season’s leader, Elvis Smylie, are playing the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in the UAE.

There are nine Aussies teeing it up in the first Asian Tour event of the year in the Philippines and Hayden Hopewell begins his 2025 HotelPlanner Tour campaign in South Africa.

Photo: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Round 1 tee times AEDT

PGA TOUR
Farmers Insurance Open
Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Cse), San Diego, California
5:07am            Aaron Baddeley
5:40am            Jason Day

Past champion: Matthieu Pavon
Past Aussie winners: Jason Day (2015, 2018), Marc Leishman (2020)
Prize money: $US9.3m
TV times: Live 4am-11am Thursday, Friday; Live 4am-12pm Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

DP World Tour
Ras Al Khaimah Championship
Al Hamra GC, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
2:10pm*          Jason Scrivener
3:30pm*          David Micheluzzi
7:05pm            Elvis Smylie
7:35pm            Ryan Fox (NZ), Daniel Hillier (NZ)
8:25pm            Kazuma Kobori (NZ)

Past champion: Thorbjorn Olesen
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2.5m
TV times: Live 7:30pm-12:30am Thursday, Friday: Live 7:30pm-12am Saturday; Live 7pm-12am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

Asian Tour
Smart Infinity Philippine Open
The Manila Southwoods G&CC (Masters Cse), Philippines
9:45am*           Denzel Ieremia (NZ)
10:35am*         Jed Morgan
10:55am          Lawry Flynn
2:15pm            Brett Rankin
2:35pm            Todd Sinnott
2:45pm*          Nick Voke (NZ)
2:55pm            Travis Smyth
3:05pm*          Jack Thompson
3:15pm            Maverick Antcliff
3:15pm*          Aaron Wilkin
3:25pm            Kevin Yuan

Past champion: Clyde Mondilla (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Norman Von Nida (1938, 1939), Bruce Crampton (1959), Frank Phillips (1960), Peter Thomson (1964), Rob Whitlock (1996), Adam Le Vesconte (2005), Scott Strange (2006), Marcus Both (2014)
Prize money: $US500,000

HotelPlanner Tour
SDC Open
Zebula Golf Estate & Spa, Limpopo, South Africa
9:20pm            Hayden Hopewell
9:50pm            Sam Jones (NZ)

Past champion: Rhys Enoch
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US375,000

Results
Korn Ferry Tour
The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club
The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, Great Abaco, The Bahamas
MC       Harry Hillier (NZ)          77-65—142
MC       Rhein Gibson               73-70—143