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Day reflects on golf's new normal during 'crazy year'

Carmen Mandato / Getty Images Sport / Getty

From changes in his routine to complete silence on the golf course, Jason Day has been forced to adapt to golf's new reality amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unsurprisingly, a lack of spectators at events has been one of the most glaring differences for the 12-time PGA Tour winner since play resumed in June.

"I think spectators is a huge thing," Day said during Wednesday's episode of "The Jake Asman Show" on SportsMap Radio. "I mean, Thursdays and Fridays are typically kind of like the lighter side of a golf tournament, and Saturdays and Sundays come around but you know that there's a buzz in the air because there's a crowd there."

He added: "But you know, this year has been a bit of a crazy year in regards to that because it's not boring, but it essentially feels that way because there's just no buzz and there's nothing really going on on the golf course."

For Day, the impact of competing on an empty course was most noticeable during golf's most prestigious event.

Dustin Johnson set a Masters record with his dominant win at Augusta in November. But unlike Tiger Woods - who was trailed by a sea of spectators throughout the final day of his historic win at the 2019 event - Johnson authored his masterpiece in silence.

"I think it was more strange (at Augusta) because of the patrons not being there because that's usually a tell-tale sign when someone's playing well or not playing well," he said. "You can obviously tell by the sounds of the patrons that go through the golf course if someone's like making a charge late Sunday you can kind of tell who it is."

The 33-year-old has also found it challenging to get into his typical pre-tournament rhythm. Despite the changes, Day is appreciative that he and his peers are able to play at all during such uncertain times.

"Typically what would happen is if you fly in Sunday, you either stay in the hotel or for me I stay in my bus, and then you just go to the course the next day," he said. "Now you actually have to plan ahead, get your coronavirus test, then you have to wait, depending on how many guys test there, you have to wait two-to-four hours. And then you can go out to the golf course and get all your credentials and all that stuff.

"It does essentially kind of sometimes mess with your Monday, but it's been - we've been very thankful to be able to get out and play again."

Day continues to search for consistency in his game on the pandemic-altered Tour. The Australian has missed the cut six times and has just two top-five finishes since the Tour returned.

For more, check out SportsMapRadio.com streaming live.

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