Girlfriend wants to see an ace, so Day obliges

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VERONA, N.Y. -- Ellie Harvey had a special request for boyfriend Jason Day Thursday night.

An ace could boost Jason Day toward his goal of making the top 125 on the final money list. (Cohen/Getty Images)

Inside the Numbers

Jason Day in 2008

Category Total Rank Driving Distance 295.9 yds. 35 Driving Accuracy 59.27% 148 Greens in Regulation 64.02% 92 Putting Average 1.771 39 Sand Saves 45.13% 149 Scoring Average 71.15 129 Money Leaders $591,335 129

MR. ACE

Watch: Day's ace on No. 6

Ellie watched Jason fly a 118-yard, 9-iron shot into the cup for eagle 2 at the 14th hole on the way to a 3-under-par 69 in the first round of the Turning Stone Resort Championship at Atunyote Golf Club.

But Ellie had never witnessed an ace, so while the two sat around chatting that night, she told Jason, "I'd like to see a hole-in-one."

Jason had nearly obliged two holes after the eagle, settling for a tap-in birdie.

On Friday, he honored her request.

On his 15th hole, the 180-yard sixth, Day spun a 6-iron into the cup for his third career ace, his first on the PGA TOUR, while rallying for another 69 in more difficult conditions to vault into third place in a second round that won't be completed until Saturday morning. Meanwhile, Day's playing partner Michael Allen, a shot out of the lead, made a triple-bogey 6 at No. 6, putting out as hail started pelting down, causing the first of two weather delays.

"I didn't think I could hole out again," Day said. "I had a 6-iron in my hand, and we were undecided with the wind, didn't know if it was coming left to right or right to left. But I caught it right. I hit a great little punch shot, and it turned for me. It hit the ground and bounced back in the hole, and I started jumping everywhere."

So did Ellie, who was halfway between the tee and green when Jason's shot went underground.

"It was so exciting," said Ellie, who met Jason through his coach and caddie, Col Swatton. "I'd said I'd never seen a hole-in-one and never thought I would. At other tournaments they have cars they give out, and I'm always, 'Huh, huh, yeah.' I didn't think anyone could ever win (a car) because I'd never seen a hole-in-one.

"I saw Jason hit the ball, lost it in the air and was hoping it went close," she added. "I couldn't see exactly how it went in because I'm color-blind, but I saw it disappear and went crazy. I was jumping all over the place, but I didn't have anyone to high-five."

Day and Harvey haven't had much else to high-five about in his rookie season on the PGA Tour. That seemed improbable after Day, who had a decorated amateur career in Australia before turning pro at 18, became the youngest (19 years, seven months, 26 days) to win a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event when he captured the Nationwide Tour's 2007 Legend Financial Group Classic with Harvey in his gallery. He finished fifth on the Nationwide money list with $331,542 to earn his PGA TOUR card.

Then in December, the brash Filipino-Australian said his goal was to "take down Tiger Woods" as the No. 1 player in the world, a comment that drew a buzz of criticism in the Australian tabloids. It stung Day, who had received plenty of positive press for surviving the death of his father at 11 and a childhood of fights and underage drinking that could have led to a life of crime.

Day's life took a positive turn when his mother sent him to boarding school, where he met Swatton, who became a father figure. Day also read a book on Woods and immediately improved his work ethic.

Day's comment about Woods still follows him, but he has no reservations about making it late in what he calls "a very regular year" in which he was 129th on the money list with $591,335 entering the second leg of the Fall Series.

"I said I wanted to take Tiger down, but I said it's going to take time and a lot of hard work," Day said. "This year has been more of a learning experience for me. Tiger is an amazing player, and it's going to be tough to catch him.

"It's going to be a slow process for me to reach where he is. I may not ever get there, but I'm going to try my hardest," he added. "But I knew I had to win tournaments before I started taking him down."

Instead, the PGA TOUR's youngest player has missed 12 of 22 cuts, including eight of nine in March, April and May, a stretch in which he was slowed by an ailing back. Then Day had a chat with Swatton, who told him to get back to what enabled him to excel last year.

"It's been a positive and negative year," said Day, whose best finishes are sixth in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and a tie for eighth in the Shell Houston Open. "It's positive in that I've learned a lot and am out here playing. I've got no more back injury and am really happy with my life. I've let a few things go off course, didn't work as hard as I could, but I've started practicing a lot harder the last three or four months.

"It's very easy to take things for granted, but you have to pay your dues out here. It's a very nice life, so it's so easy to slack off and do nothing. But you can't get anywhere with that attitude," he added. "I'd got really sick of playing bad golf. I just didn't want to be out here, but I started practicing harder and hitting much better shots, so I'm enjoying much more now."

But there's still that matter of finishing in the top 125 to retain his playing privileges for 2009.

"It's hard not to think about it, but you've got to get out there and just try and play your best and try and shoot as low as you can," Day said. "If the chips fall your way, then it does. If it doesn't, you're going back to TOUR school.

"But it's great to be out on the PGA TOUR earning a living playing golf, doing what I love and playing in front of a lot of people. It's an awesome feeling," he explained. "The last six tournaments I'm trying to enjoy myself and have a lot of fun out there with my caddie."

And Ellie.