Twice before in his relatively short professional career Jason Day has gone close to winning the Masters.

Jason Day cannot bear the thought of ending his career without a green jacket. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com_

The first was in finishing fourth and tied with Adam Scott behind South African Charl Schwartzel in 2011 while the second was more recently in 2013 when he lead the Masters with just a handful of hole to play at Augusta National.

However bogeys at 16 and 17 saw Day relegated to third place and just one shot out of the play-off won by fellow Queensland-born Scott.

Now after a 2014 Masters when Day was troubled by an injured thumb the 27-year old is more than ever determined to become only the second Australian in the 79-year history of the Masters to be fitted with an Augusta National green jacket.

“After being there when Adam won I just want to win the Masters event more now,” he said.

“It would love to be able to slip on the green jacket.  It would be an unbelievable feeling.  It doesn’t matter.  I’m always going to try and improve and get better each and every year here, and that goes for every other tournament. But this is the one that is much special.”

Day got his first look at Augusta earlier today playing a full practice round and arriving into the Media Center without his cap.

“I was lead to believe you had to take your cap off when in the Media Center,” he said.

But when he was advised there was no such rule and that Martin Kaymer had worn his then Day wondered why he hadn’t donned his TaylorMade black cap bearing Masters Player badge No. 6.

Jason Day admitting it will be easier the limelight this week will be on Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and in-form Jordan Spieth. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

And when asked specifically by www.golfbytourmiss.com if his task of winning a green jacket could be made easier in that World No. 1 Rory McIlroy, in-form Jordan Spieth and 14-time Majors winning Tiger Woods will be enjoying much of the limelight Day agreed.

“It definitely makes it a lot easier,” admitted Day.

“I guess people are still watching me, but they are interested to see if Rory can make it happen.  They are seeing how Jordan goes, and seeing what Tiger has got.

“Clearly, Tiger hasn’t played for a while, but everyone’s excited and interested to see how he performs this week;  what that state of his game is for him, because he’s such a huge part of golf.  Everyone enjoys watching him.

“We got blessed with a 15-year span of the domination that he had out here, and as a competitor, I didn’t like it very much, but it’s good to see.

“And he was always my hero growing up watching him.  It’s going to be an exciting week regardless of how everyone else goes.”

Day revealed he used Monday’s practice round to also get a new pitching-wedge into user-friendly mode.

“I was a little worried that my pitching wedge wasn’t going the distance,” he said.  “We are trying to get about 150 yards out of it.  It was going a little shorter, spinning too much and going a little high.  So we tweaked that a bit.”

And Day will tee-up on Thursday with a 1-iron in his bag, leaving out the 2-iron.