Jason Day turns professional
BY Anthony Powter | US PGA Tour | 2006 John Deere Classic | General | 10 Jul 2006
Australian Amateur Stroke Play champion Jason Day has turned professional. Late last week, Day was a surprise withdrawal from the Rice Planters Amateur and speculation was rife that a change in status was imminent. It has also been confirmed that Day withdrew from The Players Amateur and the Southern Amateur events scheduled for this month.
Day has entered the US PGA Tour’s $4 million John Deere Classic at the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run, Illinois, starting Thursday. He will play a practice round with Michelle Wie, Zach Johnson and Sean O’Hair tomorrow to get accustomed to the layout.
Day has signed a multi-year agreement with TaylorMade-adidas Golf. As part of the agreement, Day will play TaylorMade golf clubs and golf balls, plus wear adidas Golf apparel and footwear while competing.
“We’re thrilled to have cemented a relationship with such an exciting and talented young player as Jason,” said Mark King, President and CEO of TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company. “At 18, he has as much ability and potential as any golfer I’ve every met. The sky’s the limit for this young man, and we’re looking forward to supporting his efforts to getting all the way to No. 1 in the world.”
“I’m quite appreciative of all the support I have received during this exciting transition in my life,” said Jason Day. “I’m enthusiastic about competing against the best players in the world. It has always been a goal of mine to play on the PGA Tour. I look forward to the challenge.”
The graduation of Day to the professional ranks adds even greater strength to the current Australian contingent bombarding both the main and secondary tours in the US. Day has been in fine form this year.
In addition to his recent success in the US major amateur events with top ten finishes in the Monroe Invitational Championship and the Northeast Amateur, Day has won the Queensland Amateur and the Queensland Medal in the last couple of months.
It will surely be different now for Day, and at only 18 years of age, we will watch how he progresses and whether his decision to go professional was made at the right time.
Day, who hails from the Hills International Golf Club in Queensland, has long had promise to take his golf to the highest level. Day’s election to turn professional comes on the back of an impressive amateur career having claimed both the Australian Junior Champion and World Junior Champion titles. Sponsor’s invites have seen Day play a number of significant professional events in Australia over the last few years and he will have to draw from these experiences to crack the tough US circuit.
- Quotes sourced from SFX Sports
