HOYLAKE, England --
Jason Day arrived at the first tee Friday morning wearing blue and white trainers tape around his left wrist. An afternoon earlier, Day was in such pain that there was some question whether he'd have to withdraw from the Open Championship.
An injured thumb has caused him to miss parts of the 2014 season, but it was his wrist that had him doubled over in pain Thursday. When the round of 1-over-par 73 was complete, he politely declined media requests and instead got treatment on his wrist.
On Friday, after another round of 73, he said the injury first occurred during a practice swing on the fifth hole in Thursday's play, "and something popped in my left side and it was like kind of a tingling sensation through my hand. And it went straight up my elbow."
Day said he experienced a similar injury last year, when something popped on his right side.
"Yesterday, I just tried to forget about it," he said. "And then today I hit it much better today."