Player Profile: Jason Day

Jason Day

On Sunday Australia's Jason Day secured a victory for his country at the 2013 World Cup of Golf. This week's player profile takes a look at the recent career milestones of this talented player as he sets his sights on a place in the World Golf Rankings' top 10.

26-year-old day was born in Beaudesert, in the Australian province of Queensland. His interest in golf was fostered by his father Alvin, who enrolled him at the local golf club when he was just six years old. Day's talent for golf displayed itself from a young age, and as a child and teenager he won several prizes and local golf events.

When Day was just twelve years old, he lost his father to stomach cancer. This traumatic experience left its mark on the family, but the young Day gathered his spirits and focused on his golf career more than ever.

After weathering this difficult time in his personal life, Day completed his high school education and enjoyed a successful amateur career in Australia. In 2004 he won the Australian Boys Amateur, coming second at the 2005 Porter Open in the United States.

Since turning professional in 2006, Day has won four tournaments around the world. In 2007 he won the Legend Financial Group Classic, an event on the second-tier Nationwide Tour.  This victory was followed by a win at the 2010 Byron Nelson Championship, his first-ever victory on the PGA Tour. Day also won the 2012 Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge, proving his commitment to winning at all levels of professional golf in North America.

Day is no stranger to adversity, having lost his father at a young age, and when the champion lost eight relatives in the Philippines to Typhoon Haiyan earlier this month, some commentators expected him to be excused from the World Cup of Golf.

However, Day overcame this tragic event and kept his eye on the prize, winning the World Cup for Australia and proving once again that he is a golfer who can stare down any difficulty to clinch a title.