Jason Day was not one of the major champions who jumped from the PGA Tour to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit—because he didn't get an offer.
The 36-year-old Aussie admitted he explored joining the rival league, considering the amount of guaranteed money at stake. However, the former world No. 1 said LIV was turned off by his 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. “And [LIV] said, 'We love Jason, but he's too injured; he just gets too many injuries.' I don't blame them.”
In June 2015, Day was diagnosed with benign positional vertigo and collapsed at the U.S. Open. He also battled back injuries for years. He continued to play through it; however, the ailments impaired his game.
In May 2023, he ended a 1,835-day winless drought at the Byron Nelson—revealing afterward that his injuries almost made him quit the game.
Looking back, he's glad how things worked out.
“I'm so thankful and so happy that I stayed on the PGA Tour,” Day said. “I just feel that the tour was a perfect spot for me.”
Day has no ill will towards players who defected to LIV, which include fellow Aussies Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones, who comprise the LIV team Ripper GC.
And the 2016 PGA champion is hopeful he can play against them in the near future as the framework agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV continues to be worked out.
“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.”
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jason Day Reveals Why He Didn't Jump to LIV Golf.
