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Day's big Min Woo call ahead of Aussie golf return

3 minute read

Jason Day will partner Cameron Smith and Min Woo Lee in a high-profile group to mark his first Australian PGA Championship cameo since 2011.

MIN WOO LEE . Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Jason Day sees the fearless qualities of a world No.1 in Min Woo Lee, who will take on the returning superstar in his Australian PGA Championship title defence in sodden Brisbane.

Lee, former world No.1 Day and former world No.2 and three-time event champion Cameron Smith will form an Australian super group when they tee off at 6.10am (AEST) at Royal Queensland on Thursday.

The 37-year-old Day hasn't been in the country for seven years, when he last played the Australian Open, while he hasn't teed it up in his home state's championship since it was held in Coolum in 2011.

Father of five Day has endured troublesome back pain but says that's mostly behind him as he targets a second major to go with his 2015 PGA Championship crown.

He has an eye on generation next though, taking 26-year-old Lee under his wing during a year they both competed at the Olympics and his understudy made his President's Cup debut.

Charismatic Lee's power off the tee and canny knack of holing chips ensured he was a popular winner in Brisbane last year.

"But I think the most impressive part about Min is he's not scared of the situation," Day said.

"I've been playing golf for a long time; I can walk down the range and tell who's going to be playing well or who's playing well, just the way that they carry themselves.

"And Min is not scared of being under the most pressure and that's really difficult to teach (and for) someone to love it is another story.

"That's one separator ... some guys have all the talent, but they just don't really like being under the stress and the pump of trying to win a tournament. And I think he's got that.

"I've been saying this for a while; I think he's our best shot at someone from Australia getting to No.1 in the world."

Noted putter Day has been tinkering with his swing this year and said Lee would find more improvement when he discovered how to "open up another element" to his game with varied iron play.

LIV Golf star Smith's short game is world class but he too has been experimenting with his swing and thinks he's nearing his form of 2022, when he was dominating the PGA Tour.

"I'm hitting the ball with my longer irons and driver as good as I've ever hit it," he said.

"That's a feeling I haven't had for a very long time."