Defending champion Jason Day hasn’t been in his best form to start the 2017 season but he won’t necessarily need to be at this week’s WGC Dell Matchplay Championship in Texas.

The Queenslander has proved a fearsome competitor in this format with two wins and a third place finish to his name in six previous appearances and he will be keen to jump start his 2017 season at the Austin Country Club.

His play at last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational was far from what he wanted but there were encouraging signs in his final round of 70.

His short game is in good shape, crucial for matchplay, and his putting is also showing signs of returning to last year’s levels.

It has been Day’s irons and driver that have been the major cause for concern but much of that is likely due to his lack of competitive play.

After a back injury curtailed his 2016 season last September he has played just five tournaments since January with a best finish of T5 at Pebble Beach.

But at the top levels of the game the margins are fine and while the 29-year-old hasn’t been in genuine contention often in 2017, his form has hardly been disastrous.

Something as minor as one good swing could change his outlook overnight and this week’s format is ideal for a player in Day’s situation.

While every shot is still valuable in matchplay the pressure is different to that of stroke play. In head to head competition a double or triple bogey means only the likely loss of one hole, much easier to recover from than two or three dropped shots.

Day is one of two Australians in the field this week, Marc Leishman the other as Adam Scott has elected not to play as he prepares for the Masters in two weeks’ time.

Leishman’s brilliant win at the Arnold Palmer invitational makes him the form player heading into the tournament and he has proved a more than competent match play exponent in the past.

He accounted for then World Number One Jordan Spieth in the Sunday singles at the 2015 Presidents Cup and beat Justin Rose, Ryan Palmer and Anirban Lahiri in the pool matches in 2015.

That round of 16 appearance remains his best finish in the tournament, however, and while he played brilliant golf last week in Florida there is bound to be some hangover this week.

Adding to the difficulties for the Victorian is the fact the tournament begins Wednesday, giving him one day less than usual to recover from what must have been an exhausting week.

Day and Leishman have been drawn in the same pool for the tournament which is bad news for Australian fans as only one player can advance.