THE AMERICAN EXPRESS

January 20, 2022

Jason Day

PGA WEST Pete Dye Stadium Course

Quick Quotes

Q. First round at American Express, your first start of the year. What did you think of it?

JASON DAY: It was actually really -- it's good, it was nice. I hit a lot of good tee balls, unfortunately didn't really take advantage of the par-5s, but just, kind of the first round back, a little bit, I wouldn't say it's rusty I just kind of left myself in some awkward positions and I didn't capitalize on the opportunities, especially on the par-5s.

But overall I actually hit some good iron shots out there and it was kind of just a good, solid, even day. No blemishes on the scorecard, which was nice. So overall very happy with it.

Q. Besides the par-5 scoring was there anything technical that you feel you need to work on?

JASON DAY: Yeah, I mean I'm still trying to get a good handle on these swing changes and really trying to implement them into tournament golf can be difficult. Playing the last two weeks here, I've been here the last two weeks, so playing here it's easier to do it when you're out there when it means kind of nothing and I've been playing some nice golf.

But once the lights are on you kind of get that adrenaline it's kind of hard to kind of time everything up.

So I feel like it's really close to being solid, so I just got to keep working on it, keep doing it under the pump and hopefully things start to progress.

Actually, Justin Rose said something really nice or neat about it because he goes it usually has a two-month lag is what he was saying. You kind of see it on the range and on the range it starts to go from practice on the golf course and from there it goes on to tournament rounds. So, yeah, we'll see how it goes.

Q. Are you right around that two-month mark?

JASON DAY: I have no idea. I haven't been counting. I'm just going to keep focusing on trying to get things moving with the body and swinging in a way that allows me to be healthy and that's all that I care about. I just got to, once I can do that, then have the confidence in my swing and then see the results and get more confidence off that.

Q. Regarding the swing changes, talking to Justin up 18, is that what he was saying or was that something else?

JASON DAY: Well that was off the first hole, actually. I got into it straight away with him. But it's just small things. I'm happy with what I'm doing right now, I just got to tighten it up a little bit and I think hopefully the putting can turn up a little bit.

Q. (Question about the playing conditions.)

JASON DAY: Yeah, I mean it was, I feel sorry for the guys that were on the Stadium today. I mean it looks perfect conditions, but there's a good 10-mile-an-hour wind out there that you can't really see on TV and it was gusting up to like 13 I want to say. So there was some gusts up to 15, especially when we were playing up 18, Rosie caught a gust and it kind of leaked it right in the water. So you had to be very committed today on some of the shots, even though we are here in like paradise.

Q. As referenced, first time ever playing this event. Why did you make this here the year?

JASON DAY: Yeah, this is my 15th season on TOUR, so first time actually here. I'm usually here just getting ready for Torrey Pines, so I've had some time off, I don't really want to go into Torrey Pines, a U.S. Open style of golf course and with the current swing changes that I have, I didn't really want to go into that, so obviously being here it's nice to be able to kind of get some reps under my belt before I head there next week.

Q. A unique pairing, certainly unique for this tournament, of former world No. 1s. Is that something that crossed your mind, something you guys talked about?

JASON DAY: Yeah, we actually talked about it in the scoring hut because we talked about Jon Rahm and how good of a player he is and I said, Yeah, I think there was a lot of people back in the day when we were No. 1 going, Oh man, he's playing some good golf. So, I always get along with Rosie really well, we got the same mental coach and, yeah, we've been close for a long time.

Q. You referenced your familiarity with the desert. This is actually a re-introduction it's been some years back, I had a chance to chat with you at the Vintage Club at the golf school when you were there one year. How long have you been a member over there?

JASON DAY: I think about eight years or so maybe. It's been awhile. It's nice to be able to -- David Woods has been tremendous with me coming out and playing and now being kind of a playing member, it's nice to see the members out there and hopefully I get myself into contention I can see more of the members on the weekend.

Q. Typically during this time of the year and then this year as well you use the Vintage to tune-up, to practice and go play and?

JASON DAY: Exactly. And the conditions of the Vintage Club are off the charts. They have tournament-condition style conditions, the golf courses are very unique, they're two different styles of golf courses, so it's nice to be able to come from Ohio where we're under snow right now and get the body moving again.

Q. I was told Justin, is he a member at the Vintage as well?

JASON DAY: Yeah, he is. There's a few of them. I saw him last week, I saw -- I've got actually another buddy that I play with, Ryan Ruffels, who actually lives here, another Australian, he actually lives at Toscana, but he comes out to the Vintage with us. So we got a good group of little guys there and that are good players as well.

Q. Have you and just continue played together at Vintage this year?

JASON DAY: No, no, because he comes in with his massive entourage and it's hard to get the passes in through the bouncers, yeah.