Aussie Jason Day posted a superb three under par 69 on the opening day of the Players Championship to be just a couple of shots off the lead in the $US 10m event at TPC Sawgrass.

It is Day’s equal best opening round in five appearances on the Pete Dye designed course and matching a 69 he shot on day one in 2011 and last year.

However the Queensland-born Day’s best finish is T6th in 2011.

Day is playing the first two rounds in the company of the World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and World No. 2 Jordan Spieth and in speaking of how he is dealing with being in the company of the game’s top-two ranked players he cited Swiss-born tennis ace Rodger Federer.

Aussie Jason Day thinks what would tennis ace Roger Federer do in situations Day finds himself for two rounds of the Players Championship.

Federer is the winner of 17 Grand Slam titles and while he is currently ranked No. 2 in the world he was World No. 1 for a record 302 weeks including an unbroken run of 237 weeks.

“It is great to be playing with Rory and Jordan and I know I’ve got to beat these guys with the biggest thing not beating myself,” said Day.

“Today was an easy way to get myself out of the tournament especially the way I was hitting it, but I’m just trying to get myself in contention and hopefully give myself a shot at the tournament on Sunday.

“But then everything is exemplified when you’re playing with guys like Rory and Jordan, so a big goal of mine today was to just try and keep level and talk to the guys, enjoy myself.

“And in trying to stay relaxed and kind of sway around I just kept thinking about Roger Federer, what he would do.

Jason Day wonders what would Roger Federer do in the situation the Aussie golfer finds himself here at TPC Sawgrass.

“I don’t know if you notice, but every time after a point Roger’s just kind of very level.  He’s doesn’t have his head hanging down all the time, but he’s kind of in his own little world, and then he’s on to the next point.

“So that’s kind of what I was trying to think of, just of mimic what Roger does.”

Day confessed he’s been adopting Federer’s demeanor for some time now and admits it has helped when he’s in a situation he finds himself these two rounds here at TPC Sawgrass.

But when asked if he’s ever met Federer Day responded:  “No, I haven’t met him but I do watch a lot of tennis on TV and really admire his approach to every shot.”