Emotional Jason Day Pulls Out Of WGC Match Play

Day pulled out of the WGC-Match Play yesterday after revealing that his mother, who has terminal lung cancer, was diagnosed with just 12 months to live earlier this year.

Jason Day Pulls Out Of WGC Match Play

The former world number one broke down in tears after conceding his match against Pat Perez, revealing that his mother has terminal lung cancer

Emotional Jason Day Pulls Out Of WGC Match Play 

Defending champion Jason Day pulled out of the WGC-Match Play yesterday after revealing that his mother, who has terminal lung cancer, was diagnosed with just 12 months to live earlier this year.

Day conceded his match against Pat Perez after just six holes.

Related: Jason Day wins 2016 WGC-Dell Match Play

The former world number one addressed the media after his round in a tearful press conference.

"It's been very emotional," he said.

"It's been really hard to play golf this year.

"My mum's been here [the US] for a while and she has lung cancer. At the start of the year she was diagnosed with 12 months to live.

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"The diagnosis is much better being over here, she's going into surgery this Friday and it's really hard to even comprehend being on a golf course right now because of what's she going through.

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"She had all the tests done in Australia and the docs said she was terminal and she only had 12 months to live and I'm glad I brought her over here because of it."

Day's father died of lung cancer when he was just 12 year old, he went on to say "I've already gone through it once with my dad and I know how it feels and it's hard enough to see another one go through it as well.

"As of now I'm going to try and be back there with my mum for surgery and make sure everything goes right with her.

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"Emotionally it's been wearing on me for a while and I know my mum says not to let it get to me but it really has, so I just need some time away with her to make sure that everything goes well because this has been very, very tough for me.

"I'm going to do my best and try and be there the best I can for her because she is the reason that I'm playing golf today.

"I've obviously pulled out this week because of my mum going into surgery to try and get rid of this three or four centimetre mass that's in her lungs. I'm just hoping for a speedy recovery for her and we can get this behind us and she can live a long life."

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV