The closing in of Dustin Johnson on the summit of golf’s world ranking may be the least of Jason Day’s worries. As the Australian departed East Lake on Friday, a back injury having curtailed his Tour Championship appearance, the narrative was ominously familiar.
Fitness woes, and all manner of them, have been a constant companion to Day’s professional career. With this in mind, it seems partly remarkable he has scaled such heights; either Day has a penchant for over-dramatisation or he recovers especially well. Johnson, who is in the form of his life, has Day’s No1 status firmly in his sights to the point where it would be a surprise if the American does not assume that position in the near future.
Where issues of the back are concerned, Day must be especially careful. The troubles of his close friend Tiger Woods provide all necessary evidence of that. Day and Woods have at least one thing in common: a powerful but borderline violent golf swing which will place inevitable pressure on their back.
“It’s not what you want to be happening in your career and it’s clear that there is something going on in Jason’s back and that’s why he’s treating it with caution,” said Day’s compatriot Adam Scott.
“The thing is that a back issue can be serious and it’s not good for him or for any golfer if you have back problems. Hopefully, Jason gets on top of it quick. The good thing is that he’s got some time off now from the Tour so that should go a long way to helping cure whatever maybe wrong with his back. But it also just shows that if you play a punishing schedule and if you are carrying any sort of injury through the season, it’s very difficult.
“Jason’s had a great year. He’s now got a good rest period ahead of him with five or six weeks off so hopefully he will be OK for the tournaments later in the year. Though, in saying that, it’s his judgment.”
Scott is due to appear alongside Day representing Australia in the World Cup of Golf later this year. Day, whose previous ailments include a thumb issue and vertigo, had a bulging disc in his back which appeared to remedy itself. The current injury has been diagnosed as a strained ligament in his lower back.
“It’s not the first time that it’s happened,” said Day. “I mean, if it was the first time, then I’d be like: ‘Oh, I’m really kind of worried about it.’ I put the tee in the ground at the BMW Championship and my back went out. Last time it went out, I [had] changed a diaper.
“So it’s nothing where I go and physically make a move at it during a swing and my back goes out. It literally is from the smallest things: picking up a pillow, picking up something off the ground, or just moving the wrong way.
“The bulged disc has actually come in, which is kind of a miracle because, actually, when you have those kind of symptoms, you’re thinking that it’s either going to stay the same or get worse. Fortunately for me, the disk has actually come back in.
“It’s like you’ve got to do the small exercises. It’s like brushing your teeth every morning; I just have to do them because it’s part of my daily routine now.”
