World Number One Jason Day has some
unfinished business to attend to at this week’s Zurich Classic in New Orleans.

The 28-year-old will feel he let this
tournament get away last year after taking the lead into a marathon 32 hole
final day which saw England’s Justin Rose make back to back birdies at the
final two holes to snatch victory.

On a rain soaked golf course which saw the
bulk of the third round and all of the final round played on Sunday, Day
stumbled to the line while others finished fast and he will be keen to make
amends this week.

Day eventually finished T4 last year with
rounds of 67-65-68-69 on a course that suits his aggressive style of play.

TPC Louisiana is ripe for the player who
attacks flags and makes a lot of birdies and after the disappointment of a
third round 79 at his last outing at the RBC Heritage Day will be in his
element.

Already a two time winner this season the
Queenslander made it clear at Hilton Head that his goal for the year was to
stretch his lead at the top of the world rankings and victory this week would
be a step in that direction.

In all 11 Australians will tee up in New
Orleans this week with Greg Chalmers listed as an alternate.

Robert Allenby, Ryan Ruffels, Geoff Ogilvy,
John Senden, Marc Leishman Stuart Appleby, Cameron Percy, Aaron Baddeley, Rhein
Gibson and Rod Pampling join Day in the field.

No Australian has ever won this title and a
quick survey of those teeing up this week suggests the tournament hasn’t been
kind to most in recent years.

Of those who have played here before Stuart
Appleby is the only one with a top-10 result, outright sixth in 2010 the best
since the tournament moved to TPC Louisiana in the mid 2000’s.

Geoff Ogilvy has been an infrequent
visitor, last teeing up in 2014 where he was cut after the Saturday round,
while John Senden has played consistently for little better than mid-field
finishes in eight tries.

The most consistent Australian in 2016
outside Day and Adam Scott, Aaron Baddeley, has played the TPC Louisiana layout
three times and missed the cut twice though in current form that seems an
unlikely outcome this week.

The Australian who could surprise this week
is teenager Ryan Ruffels whose game should be ideally suited to the style of
golf this course demands.

Ruffels is capable of shooting very low
numbers when his game is on and while he has struggled in his last three starts
it hasn’t been due to a lack of birdies.

Still learning the ropes at this level,
Ruffels’ biggest problem has been making mistakes that cost multiple shots.

Three double bogeys in two rounds last week
is proof that it is course management where his biggest improvements need to
come. With more focus on going low than playing defensively this week Ruffels
should be in his element.