Jason Day is at British Open with redemption in mind

Jason Day walked away from a loss in the British Open at St. Andrews last year more motivated than ever to win his first major.

He did so a few weeks later in the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

The world’s No. 1 player has another notable setback to overcome when the 145th British Open begins Thursday: his stumble down the stretch in losing to Dustin Johnson at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational two weeks ago.

Day bogeyed the 15th hole and double-bogeyed the 16th while laying up off the tee, and fell by three shots.

See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>

“It sucked,” Day said. “It was really bad. I hated losing. It was a terrible way to lose, and it was frustrating and disappointing. But things like this … you can’t win them all, and that’s just the way of life.

“Obviously, other than St. Andrews, that was more of an eye-opening” need, Day said of the defeat, to get back into the process of what he does best, and that’s making good decisions working with his coach and caddie, Colin Swatton.

“It just felt so quick,” Day said of his mistakes in the Bridgestone. “When I’m playing my best golf, I feel like everything’s so slow.”

Day came within one made birdie putt at the 18th hole of getting into the playoff that Zach Johnson won at St. Andrews. He has said his experience made him feel a sense of calm in a major that he hadn’t felt before, and it carried on to Whistling Straits.

“I think, subconsciously, I just finally got over the hurdle that, it’s your time to start winning and play well,” Day said.

Since St. Andrews, Day has won seven times. At 8-1 odds, he is the co-favorite with U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson to prevail this week at Royal Troon.

Until last year, the British Open had been the one major in which Day hadn’t played well. He didn’t finish better than 30th in his first four appearances.

“I’d be over the moon if I could hold the Claret Jug one day,” Day said.

Have Jug, will travel

Zach Johnson, the former Masters champion who hails from Iowa City, got the privilege of keeping the Jug for the last year. Among the highlights: taking it to an Iowa Hawkeyes football game and celebrating with the fans on the 50-yard line.

“That’s probably not normal,” Johnson said. “My guess is, unless I’m lucky enough to do it again, it probably won’t ever happen, certainly in my lifetime.”

Johnson loaned the trophy to friends, his foundation and the people on his “team,” and figures it probably spent no more than three months at his home in St. Simons Island, Ga.

He returned it this week, but not before sharing some drinks with friends with whom he’s staying.

“We didn’t have a glass of wine; we had wine out of it,” Johnson said. “It is a Claret decanter, so it serves its purpose in that regard.”

MORE SPORTS NEWS

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s ‘Deflategate’ appeal rejected by federal court

Rams to inform fans they’ve sold out season tickets, will begin selling single-game tickets

Manny Pacquiao tells promoter Bob Arum he’s willing to un-retire for a fall bout