History of Jason Day in Timeline

Jason Day is an Australian professional golfer who achieved early success on the PGA Tour, winning the HP Byron Nelson Championship. His career peaked in 2015 with five victories, including the PGA Championship, and reaching world #1. He continued his strong play into 2016, winning The Players Championship and other events. However, his performance declined in subsequent years, causing a drop in rankings. Day experienced a resurgence in 2023, winning the AT&T Byron Nelson and returning to the top 20 in the world rankings, signaling a significant comeback.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2000: First big win at Australian Masters junior event

In 2000 at the age of 13, Jason Day had his first big win at the Australian Masters junior event on the Gold Coast, where he won with scores of 87, 78, 76 and 76.

2004: Australian Boys' Amateur win and Callaway World Junior Championship

In 2004, Jason Day won the Australian Boys' Amateur. Also in 2004, his amateur success extended to the United States, where he won the Boys 15–17 division at the Callaway World Junior Championship.

2005: Lost in Playoff at Greater Building Society QLD PGA Championship

In 2005, Jason Day lost in a playoff at the Greater Building Society QLD PGA Championship, a professional event on the Von Nida Tour. He was beaten by Scott Gardiner on the fourth extra hole.

2005: Runner-up at Porter Cup

In 2005, Jason Day was runner-up in the Porter Cup as an amateur.

July 2006: Turned professional

In July 2006, Jason Day turned professional after winning the Green Jacket at the NEC Master of the Amateurs. He signed with TaylorMade and Adidas and immediately began playing PGA Tour events.

July 2007: First Nationwide Tour win

In July 2007, Jason Day won his first Nationwide Tour event at the Legend Financial Group Classic, becoming the youngest man to win on any of the PGA Tour's three tours.

2007: Failed to earn PGA Tour card

In 2007, Jason Day failed to earn his PGA Tour card but earned conditional status on the Nationwide Tour.

2008: Mediocre Season

Jason Day had a mediocre season in 2008, but had conditional status for 2009.

2009: Day Marries Ellie Harvey

In 2009, Jason Day married Ellie Harvey from Lucas, Ohio. They reside in Westerville, Ohio, with their five children.

2009: Conditional Status

Jason Day had conditional status for 2009.

May 2010: Youngest Australian to win a PGA Tour event

In May 2010, Jason Day became the youngest Australian to win a PGA Tour event, winning the HP Byron Nelson Championship.

August 2010: First PGA Championship appearance

In August 2010, Jason Day made his first appearance at the PGA Championship, where a 66 on Saturday helped him to finish seven-under-par for the tournament and earn his first top-10 in a major.

2010: Retained PGA Tour card

In 2010, a second-place finish at the Puerto Rico Open helped Jason Day retain his card for 2010, and he finished 69th in the money list.

June 2011: Second Place Finish at U.S. Open

In June 2011, Jason Day participated at Congressional for the 2011 U.S. Open, his maiden appearance in a U.S. Open. Day achieved consecutive second-place finishes in the majors, finishing alone in second, some eight strokes behind runaway leader Rory McIlroy.

2011: Top 10 World Golf Ranking

As a result of his major performances, Jason Day moved into the Official World Golf Ranking top-10 for the first time in his career in 2011, ranked at ninth.

2011: Second Place Finish at Masters Tournament

At the 2011 Masters Tournament, Jason Day finished tied for second with Adam Scott, two strokes short of winner Charl Schwartzel. Day's −12 set the Masters record for the lowest score by a first-time participant.

November 2013: Day's Relatives Die in Typhoon Haiyan

In November 2013, eight of Jason Day's relatives in the Philippines, including his grandmother, tragically died during Typhoon Haiyan.

2013: Third Place Finish at Masters Tournament

At the 2013 Masters Tournament, Jason Day finished in third place, two shots back behind Adam Scott and Cabrera after bogeyeing the last two holes in the third round and bogeys at 16 and 17 in the final round.

2013: Runner-up at the U.S. Open

Jason Day finished as a runner-up for the third time in a major championship at the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club. He finished in a tie for second alongside Phil Mickelson, two strokes behind Justin Rose.

February 2014: WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship win

In February 2014, Jason Day won his first World Golf Championship event, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. The win lifted Day to fourth in the world rankings.

February 2015: Farmers Insurance Open win

In February 2015, Jason Day won the Farmers Insurance Open after prevailing in a four-way playoff. The victory lifted Day back to fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking.

September 2015: World Number 1 Ranking

In September 2015, Jason Day gained the world number 1 ranking for the first time after wins in The Barclays and the BMW Championship, two of the first three events in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

December 2015: Ellie Day Injured at Cavaliers Game

On 17 December 2015, while attending a Cleveland Cavaliers game at Quicken Loans Arena, Ellie Day was injured when Cavaliers player LeBron James collided with her while trying to save a loose ball. She was taken to a hospital with her head immobilized.

2015: Vertigo at U.S. Open and Fourth Place Finish at Open Championship

During the second round of the 2015 U.S. Open, Jason Day collapsed on his 18th hole due to vertigo, a diagnosis he had received a month prior. Despite this, he ended the third round tied for the lead and ultimately finished the tournament tied for 9th. At the 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews, Day finished in a tie for fourth, his best finish at the Open Championship.

2015: Breakout Season

In 2015, Jason Day had a breakout season, winning five events, including the PGA Championship, a major championship. During 2015, he also ascended to the number one position in the world golf rankings.

2015: RBC Canadian Open and PGA Championship wins

In 2015, Jason Day won the RBC Canadian Open, his second tour victory of the season. Jason Day won the 2015 PGA Championship, setting a new record becoming the first player in history to finish at 20-under-par in a major.

July 2016: PGA Tour Prize Money

As of July 2016, Jason Day has earned over $33 million in prize money on the PGA Tour.

2016: Continued Success

In 2016, Day continued his success, winning three tournaments, including The Players Championship. During 2016 he also preserved his number one ranking.

2016: The Players Championship win

In 2016, Jason Day won The Players Championship. Afterwards, his run of form was called 'Tiger-esque' by Adam Scott.

2016: Declined participation at the Olympic Games

In late June 2016, Jason Day announced that he would not be playing in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, citing concerns over the Zika virus.

January 2017: Joined Nike Golf

On 1 January 2017, Nike announced that Jason Day was joining Nike Golf. Jason will wear Nike clothes, shoes and gloves. Nike Golf unveiled a commercial to announce the multi-year sponsorship deal.

September 2017: Split with caddie Colin Swatton

On 13 September 2017, Jason Day split from his caddie of 11 years – his entire professional career – and 'father figure' Colin Swatton. Swatton would remain as his swing coach.

May 2019: Battling Chronic Back Pain

In May 2019, Jason Day continued to battle chronic back pain. He was trying new remedies such as balloon therapy, which takes about 20–30 minutes twice a day, is supposed to help get his rib cage, hips and shoulders aligned, thereby alleviating pressure on his back.

June 2019: Day's caddie relationship with Steve Williams

In June 2019, it was reported that Steve Williams, Tiger Woods' former caddie and then Day's caddie, was dominating the player-caddie relationship, instructing Day on what actions to take during tournaments. Day confirmed this dynamic, stating he generally followed Williams' directions, resulting in increased discipline in practice routines, including range and green work after rounds.

August 2019: Day and Williams part ways

After Day missed the cut at The Northern Trust in August 2019, Day and Williams ended their partnership, citing a 'disconnect between old school and new school' approaches to the game.

October 2019: Day Wins The Challenge: Japan Skins

On 21 October 2019, Jason Day won The Challenge: Japan Skins, triumphing over notable players Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Hideki Matsuyama.

May 2023: Day wins AT&T Byron Nelson

In May 2023, Day secured victory at the AT&T Byron Nelson by a single shot, marking his first win in five years. He also achieved a runner-up finish at the 2023 Open Championship, thus completing the "runner-up grand slam" by finishing as runner-up in every major championship.