Wednesday at The Open: Day discovers his links game

Jason Day owns the most talked about left thumb in sport but insists adapting his game for links golf and coping with the capricious English weather will be his tallest hurdles to jump at this Open Championship rather than an injured digit.

A three-month absence from Tour play broken only by the Masters will be the primary issue for Day, who has played just eight events in 2014 coming to Royal Liverpool.

Json Day gets in some practice on course on the eve of the first round at Royal Liverpool. PHOTO: Getty Images.

"It's fine," Day says of his thumb. "I just have to watch it. It was just a precaution that I had to pull out the other week. It's nothing to worry about.

"I feel good about my game right now," he added. "I feel confident in my abilities, I've just got to go out and execute the game plan."

Part of that game plan is old-school. Day envisages using a 1-iron in certain places during the championship, a rare specimen in even professionals' bags these days yet useful for those good enough to hit one. "But I could see myself pulling out more drivers in the latter part of the week," he said, referring to the Hoylake weather forecast.

"The European Tour guys are used to playing a lot more links golf than the guys that are playing the PGA Tour. It is hard to adjust but that's why I come in early, trying to adjust, trying to get over jet lag, trying to get used to different kinds of shots that we're going to hit for this week.

"This is the tournament that I haven't typically played well in and that's one thing I have to try to work on, to really understand how to play true links golf. It took Phil [Mickelson] 20 years to get his, so it's just a matter of getting experience under the belt.

"I'm excited to play over the next four days. It's going to be a lot of fun. This is one week a year that we get to play true links golf and you just expect to have bad weather, that's just how it is. The weather is the defence of the golf course. The greens are pretty flat out there and so wind is a huge part of it."

At 26, Day lacks a long history of participation at The Open. He debuted at St Andrews in 2010 and endured a rare wind delay there, completing a round well into the evening and having to return at first light the next morning. He says those sorts of occurrences that test players' patience levels are just part of the fabric of The Open.

Sweden's Henrik Stenson joked that Tiger Woods has been having sleepless nights sicne learning they will play together in the opening rounds. PHOTO: Getty Images

"It's one of those weeks where you have to come in and ... not frustrate yourself and think, 'The weather's crap this week,' and not lose your mind over it," he said.

Day's inactivity through injury was almost equal in length to Tiger Woods' absence after back surgery. And the Queenslander can relate to what is required to become tournament-sharp once more.

"It's a process to get back into it," Day said, borrowing a favourite Woodsian phrase. "You've got to do the work and there's a difference between social golf and tournament golf, there's just such a big difference."

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK

– WORLD No.2 Henrik Stenson owns a wickedly dry sense of humour. The Swede is bidding to become the first male major champion from his homeland and will begin this Open paired with Tiger Woods and Angel Cabrera. Stenson was asked today whether Woods' famous intimidation factor from his prime might have, in fact, reversed to the point where the Swede now scares Woods. "It would have been a lot of sleepless nights for him as of late," Stenson deadpanned in response. "When did the draw come out? He looked tired, didn't he?"

– SPACE is at a premium at the compact practice range across the street from the Royal Liverpool course and clubhouse. Players are shuttled the few hundred yards between the two places in a sparkling black Mercedes but battle for space on a range that's only about 50 metres wide. Harris English arrived at the range mid-morning to hit some balls only to struggle to locate a free spot. He paced the width of the range slowly until room became available. Later, Chad Reynolds, who caddies for Nick Watney, ran like a hare towards a vacant spot for his player. Soon afterwards a sharp shower had players seeking shelter as the range half emptied.

– WHETHER or not you talk about the weather is a moot point in the United Kingdom because everyone seems to have an opinion. One group of spectators following the practice-round action became quite vocal in their thoughts, with one lamenting that "England is the only place where the forecast gets described as 'slightly sunny'".

After perfect weather on Tuesday, Wednesday returned to the same damp, cool conditions players experienced on Monday, replete with the odd heavy shower. For the record, the forecast for the four days of the championship is mixed. The temperatures are warm enough, reaching the mid-20s most days, but rain is expected on Friday. The changing breezes could create four different sets of conditions across the four rounds. Strong winds are forecast for Friday, meaning players with a late/early combination of tee-times for the first two rounds could receive a slight advantage.

– ENGLISHMAN David Howell will have the honour of striking the first tee shot of the 143rd Open Championship at 6:25 tomorrow morning, local time. The former Australian PGA champion played in the first group one year at Royal Troon and intends to set a 4am alarm in order to practise beforehand. Joining Howell in the first threesome will be 2001 Open champion David Duval and Sweden's Robert Karlsson. "One of us at the end of the round is going to be leading," Howell said. "So we'll be all trying hard to make sure we're leading going into the clubhouse."