Will Jason Day Win A Major This Year?

With Jason Day winning at the Farmers Insurance Open this past week, Day seems like he is on the cusp of having a breakthrough season. This was his third career PGA Tour victory, and his second in two years.

With one win under his belt already, Day could very easily win a couple of more tournaments, including that ever elusive major. Day has the talent, pound-for-pound, Day is one of the best golfers in the world and can compete with anybody one his best day. Including, Rory McIlroy.

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The question is will Jason Day win a major this year? Let’s breakdown the four majors and see what are the chances Day does end up winning a major this year.

The Masters Championship

In 2011, Day shot a 64 in the second round to propel himself up to second place two shots behind McIlroy. Heading into the final round, he was tied for second along with Charl Schwartzel and two others, four strokes behind McIlroy.

McIlroy had the infamous collapse and that opened up the door for everybody. Day gave it a run as he birded 17 and 18, as he shot a 68 for the day, but that wasn’t quite good enough as Charl Schwartzel shot a 66, two better than runner-ups Day and Adam Scott.

In 2013, as it stands has been the best opportunity for Day to win a major. Which happened to be at The Masters where he was bidding to become the first Australian to win a Green Jacket. Unfortunately, for Day, it wasn’t he who dawned the Green Jacket, it was his fellow countryman Scott who ended up winning The Masters.

Day had the lead, but bogeyed 16 and 17 to drop into second place and eventually missed out on the playoff where Scott defeated Angel Cabrera. Last year, Day never really was in contention, but he still finished tied for 20th.

Overall, Day has Augusta figured out. I would have to say it’s only a matter of time before he finally wears the Green Jacket. Day has the prototypical game suited for Augusta, and he continues to gain that valuable experience that will give him an edge over some of the young up-and-coming golfers.

I like his chances to win at least one sometime in his career, but multiple seems more likely.

Jun 14, 2014; Pinehurst, NC, USA; Jason Day walks to the 6th tee during the third round of the 2014 U.S. Open golf tournament at Pinehurst Resort Country Club – #2 Course. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

The U.S. Open Championship

Day has finished in the top four in three of the four U.S. Open’s he has played in. Which really is absolutely incredible when you really think about it. He has only played in four U.S. Open’s and already has three top four finishes in his career. That’s just stellar. One might even say unbelievable, but I won’t go that far. Had he won three in four, that would be unbelievable, but nevertheless, that is quite the accomplishment.

In 2011, Day finished second but he had no shot at winning. McIlroy took the lead in the first round and never looked back. No one had a shot to catch McIlroy.

In 2013, Day shot a 68 in round three which got him to within three shots, but under tough conditions you really couldn’t go low and so Day only got to within two shots.

Last year, Day finished T-4, but again, that was a tournament that Martin Kaymer did his best McIlroy impression and just ran away with after the first round.

This year, the U.S. Open is taking place at Chambers Bay which will be new for everybody. There is no course history to go on, so we won’t know exactly how Chambers Bay will be looking, how it will be playing, until it’s U.S. Open week.

As of now, I give Day a solid shot to win. When you are as talented as Day, when you can hit it as long and as straight as Day can, you can win at just about anywhere. Day has shown time and time again the tougher the course, the better Day plays.

I like The Masters being the major Day wins, probably first, but at the very least having the most success, but the U.S. Open, Day should be mighty successful as well. In 2016, Oakmont is hosting the U.S. Open, a course where long and straight pays off. In 2019, Pebble Beach is hosting the U.S. Open. Day has had success at Pebble Beach.

It’s also worth noting in 2021, Torrey Pines will host the U.S. Open. Day will be 33 years old. Will we still be asking this same question six years from now? You would hope not. Surely, Day will have a couple of majors under his belt already and by the time the time the 2021 U.S. Open rolls around Day we will be asking if Day will win his 2nd or 3rd major, or maybe his 2nd or 3rd U.S. Open.

The Open Championship:

The only major Day hasn’t finished in the top ten is this one: The Open. In fact, Day’s best finish has been a T-30 which was back in 2011.

In 2010, Day finished T-60 at The Open at St. Andrews which is hosting this year’s Open Championship. In fact, the last time Day missed a cut at a major was in 2012 at the PGA Championship in which weather conditions were less than ideal. Basically, like The Open weather.

Day’s game, as of now, just doesn’t fit The Open Championship. He’s going to have to adapt his game and figure out links style of golf before he has a chance to win an Open Championship. Of the four majors this is definitely the least one of them all.

PGA Championship:

The PGA Championship has been boom-or-bust thus far in Day’s career. Which does make sense as the courses that host the PGA Championship are random and sometimes you get stuck with a course that isn’t tailor-made to your specific style.

Plus, Day, as we mentioned above, is a player that loves to grind it out and the tougher it is the better. Of the four majors, typically, the PGA Championship is the easiest of them all.

In 2010, the PGA Championship was held at Whistling Straits. Jason Day ended up finishing T-10, four strokes behind the eventually winner in Martin Kaymer.

Day’s game fits really well at Whistling Straits as Day hits it long and straight, attributes you really need at Whistling Straits. Luckily for Day, this year’s PGA Championship will be held at Whistling Straights.

All in all, Day has a real legitimate shot at winning the PGA Championship this year. In future years, maybe not so much, but he has a great shot at hoisting the Wanamaker Trophy this year.

Feb 23, 2014; Marana, AZ, USA; Jason Day (right) looks down at son Dash Day (left) during the trophy presentation following the final round of the World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play Championship at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

If I had to draft a team of golfers I could take for all four majors this year, I would no doubt take Day in the top five. I can’t say for sure Day will win a major this year, because there are a ton of talented golfers out there that can pick up a major here and there.

For example, hypothetically speaking, I could very easily see Rory McIlroy winning the Masters, Henrik Stenson winning the U.S. Open, Adam Scott winning The Open, and Dustin Johnson winning the PGA Championship. This is a realistic scenario where Day is on the outside looking in again.

He’ll also have to compete with other really good golfers that haven’t won a major yet either in Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar, and Sergio Garcia. There are a ton of golfers that could legitimately win the majors this year. We are in that kind of era where there isn’t just one dominate player, there are realistically twenty golfers that have the talent to dominate if they were in an era dearth of talent.

I’ll say this, though, if you tell me five years from now, Day has won a Green Jacket, the U.S. Open Trophy, and the Wanamaker Trophy, I won’t be the least bit surprised, but if he doesn’t have a least one of those awards within the next five years, I’ll be really shocked. Day is just too good not to have at least one major under his belt in the next few years.

Next: J.B. Holmes Plays It Safe

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