"It's Nothing to do With the Clubs," Jason Day Clears Up the Real Reason Behind His Tough PGA Tour Season
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 28: Jason Day AUS approaches the green on 1 during the third round of the Texas Children s Houston Open on March 28, 2026, at Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston, Texas. Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAR 28 PGA, Golf Herren Texas Children s Houston Open EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2603280223
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 28: Jason Day AUS approaches the green on 1 during the third round of the Texas Children s Houston Open on March 28, 2026, at Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston, Texas. Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAR 28 PGA, Golf Herren Texas Children s Houston Open EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2603280223
Jason Day has spent the season searching for answers, but after his opening round at the 2026 Memorial Tournament, he made it clear that his struggles have little to do with the equipment in his bag.
After opening the Memorial Tournament with a 2-over 74 on Thursday, the 38-year-old Australian spoke to reporters about a season in which his best results have been a tie for second at The American Express and a sixth-place finish at the Texas Children's Houston Open.
"To be honest, I would say that a lot of the stress and pressure that I'm feeling is because I can't get the ball on the green," he said. "I'm playing to miss a shot instead of playing to a target, just because I don't know what the ball's going to really do once it comes off the club face."
He has been rotating equipment all season and returned to his V3 Avoda prototype irons. But he was clear about where the fault lies.
June 20, 2025: Jason Day hits his tee shot on the 12th hole during the second round of the Travelers Golf Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut. /CSM Cromwell USA - ZUMAc04_ 20250620_zma_c04_046 Copyright: xGregoryxVasilx
June 20, 2025: Jason Day hits his tee shot on the 12th hole during the second round of the Travelers Golf Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut. /CSM Cromwell USA - ZUMAc04_ 20250620_zma_c04_046 Copyright: xGregoryxVasilx
"It's nothing to do with the clubs," he said. "It's all kind of me in a sense that when you're fighting something, it's really hard to trust it."
Day last won on the PGA Tour at the 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson. He has made 10 of 12 cuts this season but has largely finished between 30th and 60th place.
He described the pattern plainly.
"Every tournament I typically have three decent rounds and one bad round that just puts me out of the tournament," he said. "I'm in the 30 to 60 finish position-wise. It's been a tough year."
The 13-time PGA Tour winner entered the second-to-last signature event of the 2026 season as Wyndham Clark, J.J. Spaun, Tommy Fleetwood, and Ryan Gerard shared the first-round lead.
Jason Day's Battle for Consistency Continues
Day's current struggles stand in contrast to the player he was a decade ago.
He won the PGA Championship, The Players Championship, and two World Golf Championships events, and reached World No. 1.
Day has won 19 professional tournaments, including 13 on the PGA Tour. He has also earned more than $71 million during his career.
The years after that were not as successful for Day. Injuries interrupted his momentum, and the Australian gradually slipped down the rankings after spending 51 weeks at the top of the sport.
There were still flashes of the form that once made Day one of golf's best players, including an eighth-place finish at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational, one of his better results in recent seasons.
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Written by
Sneha Abraham
Edited by
Pulkit Prabhav