Jason Day will be flying blind when he tees it up in the WGC
– Dell Match Play this week, having not played a practice round ahead of the
tournament which features the top-64 players in the world.

Day jetted to the tournament’s new venue, Austin Country
Club, fresh from a win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week just a day before
his first match.

However don’t let this fool you, Day will be prepared for battle
after placing a premium on being both physically and mentally ready for the
gruelling week ahead.

"I haven’t seen the golf course yet. I’m going to go out and
probably walk around and try to conserve as much energy as I can. This week is very
long and it can be very taxing, not only physically, but mentally," said Day.

"I heard the green complexes are very difficult, so I’ve got
to get on the greens and make sure where the places are to miss and where to
hit."

"But I think the biggest thing is it’s going to be very
difficult conditions over the next couple of days, with the wind."

"It obviously plays a big factor in what you’re trying to
accomplish with regards to a game plan and obviously how your opponent is
playing that day, as well."

Day relishes the challenge of match play and over the years
has earned the reputation as a fierce opponent. He will need to draw on this with
some tough competitors being assigned to his group.  

"I feel like I’ve got a pretty tough group with Paul Casey,
Graeme McDowell and Thongchai Jaidee," said Day.

"Paul’s got an outstanding match play record. Graeme, who is
a Ryder Cup player, and has won I think the Volvo Match Play over in Europe.
And then Thongchai, you can’t underestimate guys like that, because they’re
here for a reason, they’re playing good golf."

"I think it’s good that I have really tough opponents.  I know that I have to be on," added Day who will
take a different approach to his golf this week.  

"I always talk about being patient, it’s kind of a different
story this week, you can’t really be as patient."

"You’ve got 18 holes, you’ve got to go out there and beat
them. You’re playing the guy across the tee from you, and you have to go out
and be aggressive and try to beat them."

"Obviously, it depends on how their playing, as well. If
they’re hitting it in the trees or having a bad hole, then you play smart. But
for the most part, you’re playing that opponent and you’ve got to feed off what
he’s doing."

For fans this week perhaps the most tantalising match of the
opening rounds will be the re-match of Day and Casey, the Englishman having experienced
firsthand Day’s unrelenting match play tactics.

"I feel like everyone gets upset at me when they play match
play against me. I don’t give away too many putts," said Day who first faced
off against Casey in 2011.

"Last time I didn’t give Casey a one-foot putt and he got angry at me. I could
tell that he was angry because he gave me a death stare from across the putting
green. I think I won the next couple of holes and closed him out, which was
great."

"It’s going to be fun playing against Paul because, once again,
I think he’s had four top-5 finishes in match play. This format brings the best
out in him and he’s going to be a very tough opponent. There’s nothing like
competing against good players in tough formats."

While he admits he may have softened in recent years, Day is
unperturbed by his reputation and won’t be conceding too many putts this week.  

"I think over time I’ve become a lot softer in my match
play. But if it’s in the rules where you don’t have to give them a putt, then
you don’t have to," continued Day.

"When you’re out there, you’re fighting and you’re trying to
compete against each other. After the tournament is done — even if they beat
me, I’m not happy but I’m fine with it."

"Because if someone goes out and plays better than you or
vice versa, you’ve got to know that they’re probably just better than you that
day."

With the World Number 1 spot in his sights, Day is hoping to
go head-to-head with Jordan Spieth this week.

"Winning is great and we both love winning, but to be able
to go one-on-one against each other in a format like this would be really
special," said Day who believes he would be the underdog against Spieth.

"Jordan went to University of Texas, he’s pretty big down
here and everyone loves him here. It would be good to have those odds stacked
against me to see how I could come out."

"The good thing about it is that I’m not playing against him
until the last match if I get through all my matches. He’s still got a lot of
tough opponents coming up, like we all do," added Day who would claim the top
spot in the world if he were to win.

"That would be great to go to Augusta with that No. 1 tag,"
added Day.

"It would be great to get through this week and win it and
really go into Augusta with a lot of confidence knowing that my game is in the
right shape and trending towards hopefully putting on that green jacket."