The US Open started on Thursday after a thick fog that delayed the tee times by 2 hours. So round one remained unfinished with Wyndham Clark taking the early lead.
On top of that, the tour announced further bad news.
Jason Day, the $66 million golfer, had to exit the field in the evening after playing 10 holes, sustaining a back injury.
He struggled to swing his club and that’s when he decided to withdraw. Day and his caddie, Luke Reardon, left for the clubhouse in a golf cart.
The day was also not going in his favor. He made 7 bogeys in the back nine.
“Jason Day WD during round one of the U.S. Open with a back injury.” PGA Tour wrote on Thursday.
He made 13 starts this season. His best performance came early on in the season at the American Express, where Scottie Scheffler lifted the trophy.
Day finished tied for second with a score of 23-under par. Another good performance came at the Houston Open, where he finished tied for sixth. The 38-year-old followed that with a tied for 12th finish at Augusta National.
But besides these, he did not manage to impress on the course.
He has earned more than $1.8 million this season and currently ranks 63rd on the FedEx rankings.
Jason Day to Launch ‘First Pitch’
GettyJason Day plays his shot from the 15th tee during a practice round before the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
Day is stepping off the green and onto the pitcher’s mound next week.
On June 23, he will deliver an unconventional ceremonial first pitch ahead of a Minor League Baseball game at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford.
Rather than throwing a baseball, the 38-year-old Australian will use a pitching wedge to launch a golf ball over home plate.
The stunt is part of a promotional campaign with TruGreen, the official lawn care treatment provider for both the PGA Tour and Minor League Baseball.
“Usually, I’m not bringing my wedge to a baseball stadium, but when the grass is this good, you just have to play on it,” Day said in a statement. “I’ve spent my whole career performing on the world’s best-kept greens, and I know the precision it takes to keep turf in peak condition.”
Alyssa Puketza, TruGreen’s chief marketing officer, said the event is designed to bridge the gap between championship-level sports fields and residential lawn care.
Payntr Golf Expands Footprint With Jason Day’s Help
GettyJason Day of Australia walks to the 13th green during the first round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
In other off-course business developments this week, Payntr Golf credited Day’s influence as the brand announced a major global expansion.
The Portland, Oregon-based performance footwear company announced Tuesday that it has secured a new distributor partnership to expand its presence throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Day, along with fellow Australian golfer Min Woo Lee, serves as a prominent brand ambassador.
Company officials highlighted Day’s role as a product collaborator in developing the “Speed Classic Collection”. They added that he provided crucial feedback through extensive wear-testing to help engineer the line.
PGA Tour Announces Unfortunate News on $66 Million Golfer During US Open