Jason Day learns the value of a green card ... and a new doctor
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM Managing Editor
IRVING, Texas -- Jason Day just got his green card, which is why he didn't mind pulling it out of his wallet and proudly (or was that sheepishly?) showing it off Thursday, even if the photo wasn't too flattering.
But while the Australian now has permanent resident status in the United States, the real power actually shifts to his wife Ellie. In two years, Day will visit the Immigration Department to get his green card renewed ... and he'll still need to be married.
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"Yeah, he's got to stick with me for at least two more years," Ellie, a native of Ohio, joked Thursday.
Both Ellie and Jason were in good spirits after a long day at the HP Byron Nelson Championship ended on a positive note. Day's 4-under 66 was the lowest score of any player teeing off in the morning wave. With most of the players in the afternoon draw failing to finish -- thanks to a 3-1/2 hour weather delay that began in mid-morning -- Day can be comforted in knowing his score will keep him firmly in contention heading into the second round.
He's also comforted in knowing he doesn't have to worry about his status in the U.S. But that may not be the only thing he's cleared up.
For the last 4-1/2 months, ever since the Sony Open in Hawaii, Day has not been healthy. He's seen six doctors during that span, and he's heard a variety of diagnoses.
First it was bronchitis. Then it was swine flu. Then it was allergies. They kept prescribing different medications, offering different treatment.
At The Honda Classic, he had to withdraw and was taken to the emergency room, where doctors took an X-ray of his chest. But he wasn't getting better. Instead, the medicine he was taking just kept him dizzy and dehydrated on the course.
It was frustrating. It was discouraging. "It was one thing after another," Ellie said.
On Monday, he saw a local allergist recommended by a neighborhood friend (Jason and Ellie live outside Dallas). Instead of another allergy-related diagnosis, the doctor said Day has a chronic sinus infection, producing the morning headaches that usually accompanies Day when he wakes up.
"I've never had allergies in my life," Day said. "I saw the allergist and he was looking at everything that I told him and he was like, 'You don't have allergies at all.' "
Day is hopeful that the problem has been solved. But the heavy antibiotics he was given did nearly cause him to withdraw from the tournament prior to Thursday round.
As he warmed up on the practice range, his stomach was upset to the point that Day just felt like getting in his car and driving home. But he decided to tough it out; it helped that he got off to a quick start, with birdies in four of his first six holes.
Also proving beneficial was the lengthy weather delay, which gave him time to sit down and drank water while Ellie went to fetch some food. Even with an upset stomach, he knew he needed to eat.
"She would shove it down my throat if I didn't," Day said.
Once play resumed, Day kept up his solid play until his final hole, the par-4 ninth, which he bogeyed to drop to 4 under. Still, the 66 is his lowest opening round on TOUR since shooting 66 at last year's John Deere Classic.
Although Day is still searching for his first TOUR win -- this week he's making his 66th start -- he thinks he's getting close. He reduced the amount of time he spent on his putting in order to maintain his focus during practice, and he thinks that's paying dividends.
Despite all the health problems he's had this year, he still has three top-25 finishes in his last five starts, and he ranks 11th in driving distance and 31st in greens in regulation.
The process, he knows, is slow, but at least he's headed in the right direction -- mentally, tactically, physically and technically.
"I'm in no rush," he said. "I just want to take it a step at a time, hopefully gain a couple of top-10s this year and keep securing my card and try and feel comfortably in my surroundings before I can go ahead and take a win."
For now, he's just glad to know what's wrong with him ... and glad to know that he doesn't have to leave the country anytime soon.
As long as he keeps Ellie happy, of course.
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