Ben Everill, Ponte Vedra Beach May 10, 2012
New focus: Jason Day, out of dangerous territory. Photo: Getty Images
WITH his frustrations behind him, Australia's Jason Day believes he is ready to stake his claim on the richest purse in world golf.
Day admits aggravation, irritation and stress had infiltrated his golf early this season, and the realisation it was eating him up from the inside has helped him turn the tide.
Having struggled with hip, back and ankle injuries, Day has been restricted to just six events in the US, with last week's tied ninth placing at the Wells Fargo Championship his first top-10 finish.
The 24-year-old said an attitude adjustment was a big part of the form turn-around.
''At the start of the year, I was complaining at shots, getting aggravated easily, but last week into now I have decided to just let what happens happen and make a point of enjoying myself again,'' Day said.
''And when you make an effort to do that it seems the bounces get a little better, you get luckier that way.''
Day is primed for an assault on the $US9.5 million ($A9.34 million) prize pool, the richest purse in golf at The Players Championship starting tomorrow (Melbourne time), where the winner banks $US1.71 million in the event commonly dubbed the ''fifth major''.
It will be just his third trip here and while he missed the cut in 2010, he was in the mix last year when tied for sixth.
Nine other Australians join the assault, headed by the 2004 champion, Adam Scott.
AAP