Day advised not to make Tiger angry - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Day advised not to make Tiger angry

By Wayne Heming 04/12/2007 07:40:47 PM Comments (0)

Defending Australian PGA champion Nick O'Hern has cautioned boom Australian Jason Day against upsetting world No.1 Tiger Woods.

Day will join the lucrative US PGA Tour as a full member next year after a stunning 2007 on the Nationwide Tour.

He raised eyebrows last week when he declared his goal would be to "take Tiger down" and become golf's No.1 player.

The 20-year-old from Brisbane isn't playing this week's $1.4 million tournament because of a wrist injury.

Day created PGA Tour history last year as the youngest player to win a tour-sanctioned event on the secondary Nationwide Tour.

He also has had six top 10 results and made six cuts from seven starts on the full Tour.

But O'Hern - one of the few players who can actually boast matchplay wins over Woods - said the highly talented youngster would be wise not to upset golf's best player.

"I don't know Jason myself but from what I've heard and from what I've seen, he's a fine player," said O'Hern.

"One thing I've learned about Tiger though is you don't annoy the guy.

"If you do - look what happened to (Rory) Sabbatini and Stephen Ames."

South African Sabbatini, one of the more controversial players on the Tour, earned Woods' ire when he said this year the American was "more beatable" than ever.

Wood's response was to snub Sabbatini who'd arranged to play a practice round with him.

"When I've played with him (Woods), I've just tried to be nice," said O'Hern, clearly surprised by Day's remarks.

"From what I read, he seemed to say it two or three times.

"Personally it's not something I'd say.

"But if he wants to speak his mind, good on him, let him do it.

"He's just got to back it up now with his golf clubs.

"Every week we all get a shot at him (Woods) if he's playing a tournament.

"But to become No.1, it's pretty unrealistic for everyone at the moment because he is so far ahead of us that he'd have to stop playing for a fair while to give us all a chance."

Fellow PGA Tour pro John Senden, looking to add the PGA title to last year's Australian Open win, agreed with O'Hern.

"I think the No.2 spot is available right now," said Senden.

"Coming out and saying you're going to take Tiger down ... that's a big comment."

Senden said O'Hern's Coolum record 22-under score could be tested this week with such a great field on a course he's never seen in better order.

O'Hern agreed after playing a few practice holes.

"It wouldn't surprise me, I mean I'd take 22 under right now, but if we go lower, so be it," he said.

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