The fairways at Bay Hill were showing signs of a punishing weekend ahead. Green in appearance but deceptively inconsistent, with players finding both soft and firm patches depending on where their drives landed. And yes, the greens continue to test the field at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, with their glassy surface causing putters to slide when placed. Jason Day navigated these treacherous conditions on Saturday despite a rough patch in the middle of his round.

“A little bit. Especially through the middle part of my round, I had it going sideways a little bit,“ Day confessed after finishing with three birdies to salvage his position.

But it wasn’t just the challenging course that had the Australian opening up. It was a surprisingly candid admission about his own technical limitations and an unexpected expression of admiration for a LIV Golf competitor.

During his post-round press conference, Day revealed he had reunited with his long-time coach after a seven-year separation. When asked about the reasons behind the reunion, the former World No. 1 didn’t hold back about his struggles.

“I had zero idea what was going on,” Day admitted, showing rare vulnerability for a player of his caliber. “Even though I know a good chunk of swing stuff, it’s nice to have someone kind of standing over your shoulder, like kind of guiding you where you need to be, just kind of keeping you in the bumper rails.” It certainly helps players to get advice during tough times, right?

“Some guys can do it, because I think about it, off the top of my head, Bubba Watson, he’s very unorthodox. I don’t think he’s ever had a swing coach in his life, and he’s a very feel-based player,” Day explained, highlighting the contrast between Watson’s natural instincts and his technical tendencies. Watson’s unique ability to shape shots—famously demonstrated by his 155-yard hooked gap wedge from pine straw during the 2012 Masters playoff—represents a purely artistic approach to golf that contrasts Day’s more calculated style.

What made Day’s comments particularly noteworthy was his comparison to LIV Golf’s Bubba Watson, whose self-reliant approach had Day feeling a touch of envy. Watson has famously never worked with a swing coach throughout his career. His unorthodox, self-taught swing once generated clubhead speeds of 124.11 MPH. It automatically produced 12 PGA Tour victories.

The reunion with his coach, Colin, became a game-changer. He started working with Day when he was just 12 years old. Therefore, it appears to be part of a larger strategy to rebuild the team that previously helped him reach the pinnacle of golf. The early signs are promising. Day bounced back from a challenging first-round 76 to card a career-low 64 on Friday. He eventually climbed to 4th position at 7-under par.

Thus, the player heads to Sunday’s final round, just three strokes behind leader Collin Morikawa. Heading into the final round, the conditions at Bay Hill seem to just build up to its formidable expectations.

Jason Day faces brutal Bay Hill challenges as final round looms

The conditions at Bay Hill weren’t making things easier for anyone in the field. According to course reports, Day and his competitors faced greens reaching a Stimpmeter reading of 12 feet by Sunday, with their firmness accentuated by daytime temperatures peaking at 82°F.

These slick surfaces had been causing putters to slide when placed down. It probably contributed to three-putt rates 18% higher than the Tour norm, as measured by PGA Tour analytics. This inconsistency extended beyond just the greens. According to Bay Hill Club & Lodge officials, the fairways presented a deceptive challenge, with the dense 4-inch rough transforming errant drives into serious problems.

Tournament data showed Bay Hill’s narrow 34.6-yard fairways further complicated matters. Moreover, only 63% of drivers found short grass during the final round. The course’s 84 bunkers and water hazards on nine holes punished aggressive play, creating a true test for even the most skilled players.

Looking ahead to Sunday’s final round, meteorological forecasts indicated Day would face even more challenging conditions. Westerly winds are expected to peak at 27.3 mph during the afternoon. According to weather services, these winds would completely reshape the entire dynamics. It could lengthen some holes and force players to adopt creative shot-making strategies.

Time for some creativity at the Arnold Palmer Invitational!

With light rain showers also predicted to increase humidity to 97%, Jason Day would need all his skill and experience to navigate what promised to be one of golf’s most unforgiving examinations, as described by tournament officials.