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Just let Jason Day be Jason Day

Golfing like a pro could be just five exercises away. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)
Expert
16th May, 2016
0

Jason Day has deserved endless tributes since his four-shot Players Championship win.

That is of course with the exception of being compared to Tiger Woods.

Why can’t Day be just treated as the undisputed best golfer in the world, and a great ambassador for the sport, instead of being just like someone else?

Especially like Woods who is not a great golfing ambassador.

Sure, Woods is ranked among the best of all time, but he’s not Jack Nicklaus.

And Nicklaus is the leading major champion with 18 victories and 19 seconds – Woods has 14 and five.

That’s the genuine yardstick, Nicklaus by the length of the straight.

So do Jason Day a favour, and leave him out of the comparison stakes, because he’s not in the Nicklaus-Woods league.

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Yet.

For example, Day is 28 and has won one major and all-up ten USPGA tournaments from 181 starts – win ratio 5.5 per cent.

When Nicklaus and Woods were 28 they were far more successful.

Nicklaus had won six majors among 25 USPGA victories from 154 starts – win ratio 16.2 per cent.

Woods was even better with eight majors among 39 USPGA victories from 159 starts – win ratio 24.5 per cent

So Jason Day is a late bloomer, making comparisons pointless.

His last seven wins were from 17 starts – win ratio 41.1 per cent – you can make stats work in many ways to suit the discussion.

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A more reasonable comparison are the world rankings in May between the current big three – Day, Jordan Spieth, and Rory McIlroy.

2013 was the last year Woods won a tournament.

1 – Woods 12.84 points.
2 – Adam Scott 9.27.
3 – Phil Mickelson 8.51.

6 – McIlroy 7.31
16 – Day 4.89.
21 – Spieth 4.34.

In 2014:
1 – McIlroy 11.70.
2 – Scott 8.84.
3 – Sergio Garcia 7.66

8 – Day 6.72.
14 – Spieth 4.98.

Last year:
1 – Spieth 12.55
2 – Day 12.53.
3 – McIlroy 11.09.

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Currently:
1 – Day 12.38.
2 – Spieth 10.90.
3 – McIlroy 8.83.

It’s worth reporting Tiger Woods has told Jason Day he’s going to kick his butt when he returns.

In his dreams.

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