One fine Day gets life, game in order

By: JAY PARIS - Staff Writer | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 10:58 PM PST ∞

LA JOLLA -- The mate was a mess. In Australian terms, golfer Jason Day had gone off the rails a bit.

"I did a lot of stupid things when I was little," said Day, after Tuesday's practice round for this week's Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines. "Obviously getting into fights and drinking under age is not the right thing to do. I see that now."

Day's current vista is nothing but bright. He has graduated from the Nationwide Tour and has set sail on his first full season on the PGA Tour, brimming with potential.

Day, a 20-year-old Aussie native, is among the youngsters trying to make their mark starting Thursday on this storied course hugging the La Jolla shoreline. While the galleries clog fairways to witness Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson -- he's fit enough to play after a respiratory problem -- and John Daly, Day is among the compelling stories making this tournament grand.

Not even Tiger has a tale as good as Day's.

"I'm much more mature than my 20 years,'' Day said.

Day's days in Australia weren't all G'days. Day lost his father to cancer at age 12 -- "that was really a hard time for us,'' he said -- then lost his way.

"My dad came back from the doctor, and they said they'd given him two months to live," Day said. "It breaks your heart."

Instead of staying on the right path, he veered off before figuring out a golf path would present the opportunity of a lifetime.

Day's mother sent him to boarding school after his father's death. There he hooked up with golf coach Colin Swatton.

"I've been very blessed to meet Colin, and obviously he's been on my bag," Day said. "I've had a pretty hard time growing up through my teenage years, but I guess it reflects on the person I am today.

"I don't take many things for granted. I work pretty hard. I never had many things growing up, so I take everything seriously."

That includes golf, and his dedication is among the reasons he made 14 of 19 cuts on last year's Nationwide Tour and finished fifth on the money list at $331,542.

The highlight was Day, at 19 years, 7 months, 26 days, winning the Nationwide's Legend Financial Group Classic, making him the youngest player to win a PGA-sanctioned event.

But he's no stranger to trophies. Among the hardware he polishes is his amateur award for winning the 2004 World Junior Championship here.

"(If) I was sitting down with Colin, and him saying I would be here in 3 1/2 years, I wouldn't believe that at all,'' Day said.

Some were shocked when Day told the Melbourne Herald-Sun last fall he was aiming for Woods.

"I'm sure I can take him down. My goal is to be the No. 1 golfer in the world, and I want to chase Tiger," Day said.

"I want to measure myself against Tiger Woods. After I became the youngest player to win a PGA Tour event this year, I heard a lot about being the next big thing.

"There's a lot of pressure, and you try to handle it. All I want to do is work hard, win tournaments and catch up with Tiger. ..."

Wow.

But Day means no disrespect -- it was a Tiger book that helped changed Day's destructive lifestyle.

"After I read that book, I woke up at 5:30 every morning to go practice and I didn't stop all through high school, and I still do it sometimes," said Day, who had seven PGA Tour starts in 2006, with a tie for 11th his best showing.

Day's words caused a stir, but he stands by them.

"It was just me -- I want to take down Tiger," said Day, who didn't make the cut two weeks ago at the Sony Open in Hawaii. "He's the No. 1 guy in the world. But like I said, it's either if it takes five years or 20 years. I've got goals I want to achieve. Who doesn't want to become the No. 1 golfer in the world. You've got to fulfill your dreams, and that's it."

Before taking Woods to the woodshed, Day wants to tell the world's top golfer how he flipped his life.

"First time I meet him,'' Day said, "I've got to thank him for that."

Et cetera

Tiger Woods tees off at 6:42 this morning in the Pro-Am in his 2008 debut. Woods is shooting for his fourth straight Buick Invitational title and sixth overall this week. Rancho Santa Fe's Phil Mickelson, a two-time winner here, will compete as well after being troubled by a lung ailment earlier this week. ... Rain is in the forecast starting today through Saturday.

-- Contact staff writer Jay Paris at jparis8@aol.com.

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