Jason Day said he never had to make a decision on whether to leave for the LIV Golf League.
That’s because the Saudi Arabian-backed rival to the PGA Tour never made a formal contract offer to the former world No. 1.
Day acknowledged that he made a “business move” in having his agent explore what a potential move to LIV would entail back in 2022, but that the upstart league was too concerned about Day’s injury history.
“I said [to my agent], ‘No worries, I’m happy with where I’m at, but it’s always nice to know.'” Day told Code Sports Australia ahead of this month’s Australian PGA Championship. “And they [LIV Golf] said, ‘We love Jason, but he’s too injured; he just gets too many injuries.’ I don’t blame them.”
Day won the 2015 PGA Championship and spent 47 consecutive weeks atop the Official World Golf Ranking from 2016-17. However, Day began to suffer from chronic lower back injuries and ultimately dropped as low as 175th in the rankings to begin 2023. The back issues even had him contemplate retirement.
The lack of an offer to even consider a move to LIV turned out to be blessing in disguise for Day, who watched fellow Australian Cameron Smith make the jump in the fall of 2022.
After working with noted coach Chris Como to revamp his swing, Day finally snapped a five-year winless streak with a victory at last year’s Byron Nelson. He is ranked 34th and has five top-10s in 21 events this year.
“I’m so thankful and so happy that I stayed on the PGA Tour,” Day, 36, said. “I just feel that the tour was a perfect spot for me.”
Day said he has intentionally remained neutral when asked about fellow players who have bolted for LIV and hopes the sides are able to unify professional golf in the near future.
“I’m hoping we join back together because there’s definitely a lot of players on the LIV tour that we miss on the PGA Tour,” Day said. “I’ve always played very central with LIV and just never really got in the politics of it all.”