Former world No.1 Jason Day is reconnecting with the mental game that took him to the top of the sport as he aims to produce a sneak attack on the Masters.
Day heads into his 11th attempt at Augusta National as the 52nd ranked player in the world – the lowest he’s been in the lead-up to the Masters over his career.
Even on his debut in 2011 as a fresh-faced 23-year-old, Day sat 42nd in the world before finishing runner-up and truly announcing himself as a major threat.
To date the now 33-year-old has finished in the top five at majors on 10 occasions and has 16 top-10s.
Yet the 2015 PGA Championship remains his only major win.
Day is just a month away from hitting a three-year win drought.
A raft of back injuries has made life more difficult for Day in recent years but he says swing changes with coach Chris Como, aimed at alleviating back pain, have his body feeling “tremendous” and talks of premature retirement broached in the past are no longer in focus.
Instead he is returning to a mental game emphasis, in lieu of countless hours practising, and is confident of his chances having recently pinpointed a part of his brain game that was misfiring.
In his formative years on tour Day relied on a training tool to lock in the right side of his brain – or the creativity and attention side – to create powerful mental imagery.
That process had lapsed but is now back on track.
“My mental process, particularly on putts, it’s hard to explain but it wasn’t clicking over,” Day told AAP.
“What I was seeing in my head wasn’t smooth anymore and I was unable to release the tension in my body.
“It’s not self-doubt, I just wasn’t free.
“When you are putting well you feel free.
“I’ve been standing there unable to release tension because the mental process was broken.
“And that tension moved into my long game.”
At the height of his powers Day was the best putter on the PGA Tour.
Last season he ranked 62nd and this season he sits 100th.
It means he enters the fray at Augusta National as a 50-1 or more outsider in most markets.
“I feel like the putting itself has improved drastically,” Day said.
“I’ve been saying I’m under the radar the last couple years, but I feel like the game is shaping up in a nice way.
“My body feels tremendous. I’ve just got to prepare a little bit differently.
“I’m doing a lot more visualisation off the golf course… the mind is probably the strongest tool that you have out there… and if I can’t put in the physical work as much as I used to, then I’ll have to do it with my mental game.
“I’m quietly confident of a big week and my goal remains getting back to world No.1.”