John McHenry: Jason’s Day in the sun is one of the most deserved

The defining criteria for greatness is set in professional golf by how many major championships you have won.

Jack Nicklaus is generally regarded as the greatest, having won the most, but the one man who was desperate to lose the unwanted tag of being a “nearly man” was Australian Jason Day.

No sportsman ever wants to hear himself being described as a “nearly” man.

The word nearly comes with a question mark and for professionals who have dedicated themselves to a world of no guarantees but enormous effort and personal sacrifices, the word can act as a tipping point.

For example, you wouldn’t have to say to Colin Montgomerie or Lee Westwood “Oh, you nearly won so many major championships” that often before you got a reaction because they know that their stellar careers have been judged by major championship wins - and with none to date for either of them they are crazily deemed as being somewhat inferior to others who have done far less throughout their careers but who have won a big one.

Professional pride is personal and it hurts!

Yesterday Jason Day took to the course with one mission in mind – that of winning his first major championship. He had been in this position many times before of course but the “nearly man” still had lots to prove.

His record in recent major championships had already proven his credentials.

The majors also are about resilience and no one doubted but that the gutsy Australian was up for the fight, but in his desire to win would he show enough composure when it mattered most?

One has to marvel at Day’s capacity to pick himself up and dust himself off after so many major championship letdowns.

Taking the positives out of his performances has allowed him to refocus quickly and get back into contention.

For example, winning in Canada in his next start after the disappointment of failing to make the Open Championship play-off by a shot is a case in point and the manner of his victory where he birdied the last three holes to win may just have been the final cog required to move his golfing career on from great to that of superstar status.

Sure, there are a few things he needs to clean up in his game, but more and more Day’s greatest attribute is that he has never allowed himself to get ahead of himself.

Throughout all of his trials and tribulations one feels that Day now knows that he’s got the tools.

From a technical standpoint Day’s swing fundamentals are simple and solid. Crucially, he also possesses both the power as well as the creativity.

Most importantly, he has a silky short game and a brilliant putting stroke that every bit as good as the best professionals in the game.

With so many major champions like Spieth, Rose and Kaymer in the hunt, Day would have known that his task would not be easy yesterday.

More importantly he would also have understood that these guys are already “proven” having delivered already on the major stage so he needed to be mentally strong staying in the moment.

But being mentally strong and grinding is very, very stressful and some guys just can’t handle the heat but more and more you have to believe that Day’s determination to reach the top of world golf will be realised one day.

Weaklings and also-rans simply cannot compete for majors as regularly as he does but it is fair to say that Day’s career is now close to a tipping point.

A win means he is a vindicated superstar - and another loss would have meant he must wait eight more agonising months for his next opportunity.

As Day does eventually scale and banish that mountain of doubt and when he leaps from good to great you feel he will be welcomed open-heartedly by the tight knot community of major champions because he earned his stripes.