Australia’s Jason Day has withdrawn from next week’s lucrative Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
The current World No. 6 continues to struggle with a thumb injury that he aggravated during the Masters.
And while most news outlets remain ignorant of why Day is again sidelined, it was www.golfbytourmiss.com that reported some weeks ago that Day in fact re-injured the thumb in hitting a tree root at ‘Mickelson’s Tree’ down the right side of the par five 13th hole at Augusta National during the third round of the Masters.
Jason Day in happier times with victory in the Accenture Match-Play. (Fran Caffrey www.golffile.ie)
It meant Day needing a cast put on his thumb, but it’s failed to heal in time for next week’s tournament at TPC Sawgrass.
Day had intended to tee up a week after the Masters at Hilton Head but withdrew before teeing up.
“Jason jarred his thumb hitting a buried tree root at Phil’s tree on Saturday and that’s why he’s not playing this week,” said Col Swatton, his long-time coach and caddy, who was present at Hilton Head.
“I know he’s disappointed but there’s not much Jason can do about it.
“He’s again getting further treatment on the thumb and it’s been placed in a cast but really the only cure is rest”.
Day’s appearance at the Masters was his first tournament in six weeks since first injuring the thumb and prior to the injury he was headed into the year’s first Major as a joint favourite to win the green jacket.
He arrived at Augusta playing down any concern including being observed a few times during Friday’s round fiddling with the tape supporting his thumb that had come unstuck.
“There’s no issues with it and it’s just the tape’s coming off,” Day said after last week’s second round. That’s why sometimes you see me rubbing it, just trying to get the tape back on. But it’s fine.”
But when Day ended his round on Sunday with a round of 72 to eventually finish in a share of 20th place the Ohio-based Australian again remarked the thumb was ‘fine’.
