Pebble Beach, California …
It is beginning to border on embarassing with Australia’s Jason Day now joining Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth in electing not to contest next month’s WGC – Mexico Championship.
McIlroy confirmed he will not travel to Mexico City ahead of the AT & T Pebble Beach Pro-Am while Speith ‘sounded’ highly unlikely he will also tee-up in the Mexican capital.
Now Day is citing a ‘family-first’ approach to his Masters preparation, opting to sit out the World Golf Championships Mexico event to spend time with his mother in the U.S.
Of course, Day did not contest last year’s maiden WGC – Mexico Championship and this despite ending a near 16-month victory drought to win the recent Farmers Insurance Open and then be among four to share second place at Pebble Beach.
Day’s mother, Dening had been diagnosed with lung cancer last year before having successful surgery to avoid chemotherapy and with his Australian-based mother soon to be returning to the U.S. Day has again chosen to skip the ultra-lucrative $10m event.
It is a decision that is understandable but on the back of McIlroy not competing and Speith, organisers will be sure to be bitterly disappointed.
“I’m going to take Mexico off. My mum is coming over here to the US to have scans, so I’m going to spend some time with her,” said Day to AAP.
Day will contest the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida, and the WGC Match Play in Austin, Texas – both of which he he won in 2016 – before aiming to win a maiden Masters green jacket.
It is not Day’s lightest pre-Masters schedule – Day played just three tournaments before the 2014 Augusta major due to injuries.
But he’ll make up for it by arriving early at Augusta to prepare.
“I’m going to have time off so as to get prepared for a week and then get into Arnold Palmer, play match-play and pretty much head down to Augusta from there,” Day added.
“I’ve got to get back to the grind again. Obviously this has been a great west coast swing for me so I’ve got to get back on top of it and know that the next two events are new tournaments for me.”
