Jason Day's First Lesson

[golfdigest]

HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Few players join the PGA Tour with the fanfare that has accompanied Jason Day's ascension, but for any young player, there is a learning curve, and in his case he already has received his first lesson: Honesty is not necessarily the best policy.

At 20, Day is the youngest player on the PGA Tour, and his victory last year in the Nationwide Tour's Legend Financial Group Classic made him the youngest in history to win a PGA Tour-sanctioned event.

Late last year, the Australian prodigy told the Australian newspaper, the Herald Sun, that his goal is to be the No. 1 player in the world. "I'm sure I can take him down," he said of Tiger Woods. "I want to measure myself against Tiger Woods … There's a lot of pressure and you try to handle it. All I want to do is work hard, win tournaments and catch up with Tiger. At 19, Tiger didn't win a tournament as a professional. Next year on the tour, I've got to win two tournaments, because that's what he won and I want to try and keep up with him. It's a big ask for a 20-year-old kid on his first year out on the PGA Tour."

Day has been stung by the predictable backlash. He has been widely criticized -- often, he said, by those citing only the phrase "I'm sure I can take him down" and ignoring the greater context of his overall remarks, that, "It's a big ask."

"I don't understand it," Day said at Waialae CC, where he was making his debut as a member of the PGA Tour, in the Sony Open. "There are so many guys who want to be number one, but I chose to be honest about it and they crucified me.

"I'm still going to be working hard to get to the number one spot, and that's Tiger Woods," said Day, who shot 73-70 and missed the cut. "I know it's not going to be given to me."

-- John Strege

View the full article

[Forged in Japan]

They crucified him because he is a cocky kid who was shooting off his mouth. All the other guys have more class and hold it in and that is enough of a drive for them. He had to be vocal about it. Just like when he made birdie today at the FBR and threw his ball into the crowd and was cheering on the green. He made 4 birdies in a row and thinks he is a gift to the world. Wait until you win a tournament or a major to start throwing your ball into the crowd.

 

Just my 2 cents as they say...

[ironplayer]

Being honest and passionate is one thing, and everybody is welcome on their endeavor for being honest and passionate in their field. If this boy perceives himself as 'professional' in his field, then he will have to learn to appreciate the magnitude of the achievement that Tiger woods has done to himself and to the golf industry as well. If he has ever thought about that, then he wouldn't be so quick to say... "I'm sure i can take him down". It appears that he thinks that, winning a tournament where Tiger is in, is taking him down. Well, there are many people who have won when Tiger was in the field. I don't think anyone would proclaim..'I took him down'.

 

He probably won a few tournaments in his early age, and got hailed by his people including parents and friends. Just saying that...everyone wants to be number one, and i'm being honest...is some line you would expect from a elementary school kid. Knowing how to say things correctly is also something you learn as you grow/ get mature. Clearly, this boy's maturity level isn't there at all.

 

i don't think we'll see his name that often for next few years until he grows more mature in his personality as well. among all the sports out there, Golf is the one where individual player's personality plays major part of thier performance on the field. We have seen many number of young people with enough level of talent to be good and/or even be great...but not many have stood out...after their first 1 or 2 wins. If for the current field, there are young guns like...Anthony Kim, Kevin Na, CH3 is still considered young, just to name a few that i think is way better player than Jason Day, not only for their maturity level but also on their pure golf skills as well.

 

He can probably win a tournament or two in his lifetime on PGA tour, but i don't think he'll ever 'take him down'...not with this level of maturity.

 

of course, just IMO...