TPC Boston, MA …
Jason Day confessed he needs to work harder on his mental game in clawing his way back from a mid round meltdown to ensure contesting the closing two rounds of the Dell Technologies Championship outside of Boston.
Day had ignited his second round with four birdies in his opening five holes, and the pick being a 31-metre wedge second shot at the first to just a metre, to race to get back to level for the event after signing for a day one 75.
Jason Day and admitting he needs to work harder on his mental game (Image – @Tourmiss)
However, the World No. 9 gave all four shots back with four bogeys from the sixth to 11th hole and with the worst of the bogeys being in taking four shots, and from some 15-meters short of the green at the par three eighth hole.
But a birdie at 12 and then a chip from short of the green at the last to two metres handed Day his two-under 69 for a two-over tally.
“The thing is, and it can happen to anyone in life, you are trying your best but for some reason your mind is just not quite there,” said Day.
“That was the case on day one as I was making silly little errors and that led to an awful day, so to come back today and shoot two-under got me inside the cut line.
“We are human and we do make mistakes and when you mind is not quite there a bad round happens.
“And coming out today I did what I wanted to do and that was to get off to a flying start but unfortunately I followed those four birdies with three bogeys and then a fourth at 11.
“I just needed that momentum after my good start but my par putt on six horse-shoed out and missing a short one on seven and then bogeyed eight.
“So, if those putts and where you are hoping to gain momentum or even hold your position just took all the wind out of me and I just could not quite get it going from there.
“But thanks to that birdie on 18 I look liked being here for the last two rounds”.
However, letting down the former World No. 1 is the driver in managing to hit just 13 of 28 fairways over the two rounds while Day has managed to then find 22 of 36 greens in regulation.
And after taking 34 putts on day one, he cut that to 27 on day two.
“I just somehow need to narrow my focus and not make any silly errors,” he said.
“That is the biggest thing with me and that is missing greens with wedges and you can’t do that out here.
“When I am playing well I don’t have any misinformation and I am always communicating well with Col but unfortunately when I am playing bad I don’t communicate as well with him and I just produce errors.
“So, I need to tidy-up the mental side of my game and hopefully that leaks into my overall game and I can produce better results.”
