Augusta, Georgia: After a polite kick up the backside from his wife, Australian Jason Day has realised his crippling back injury may be a blessing in disguise in his Masters run.
Day, who has ruled out going under the knife, realises he needs to focus on negotiating his severe back pain with capitalising on his most exciting 36-hole start to the Augusta National major since 2013.
Australia's Jason Day hits on the fourth hole during the second round of the Masters on Friday.Credit:AP
Day had not had a better opening two rounds at the Masters since then, but on Friday the 31-year-old fired a five-under-par 67 to sit high on the leaderboard midway through a weather-interrupted second round.
In 2013, Day led the Masters outright at the halfway point only to capitulate on the last three holes on the Sunday.
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He handed Scott the Masters victory that day and the honour of being the first Australian to don Augusta's coveted green jacket.
Day is primed for another big Masters run but will have to battle his injured back over the next two rounds.
On Thursday, Day received treatment from his chiropractor, Canadian doctor Stuart Love, beside the second hole in his opening round. Dr Love worked tirelessly on Day's back on Thursday night and Friday morning.
But it was some tough love from dedicated wife Ellie that had Day mentally prepared for the fight on day two.
"I was moping a little bit in the bath, and Ellie said, 'It's the Masters, you need to suck it up.'
"I can't complain because she's birthed three children and I haven't, so she's a lot stronger as a person than me; I just hit a little white golf ball around a course."
Jason Day holds his back on the fourth tee at Augusta during the first round.Credit:AP
The motivation and therapy worked wonders as Day appeared to be in considerably less pain as he put together a near-flawless round.
He birdied all four par 5s on Friday while picking up another two – at the par-4 fifth and par-3 16th.
The only stain was a poor teeRead More – Source
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