Arguably the most favorite pair on the course in Naples, Florida, is back again. For three years, Jason Day and Lydia Ko have teed off together and formulated a bond that now extends beyond the course. Notably, the Grant Thornton Invitational’s unique mixed format allows players from both the LPGA and the PGA Tour to complement their skills. The same should go for Ko and Day, shouldn’t it? But that’s not quite the case.

In a pre-tournament press conference held on December 10, Lydia Ko made a mention of Jason Day’s “impressive” play, which, unfortunately, she hasn’t been able to get a hold of. “I tried to follow Jason’s chipping technique last year, and I realized it’s not for me,” says Ko. “I think I would have to restart my golfing short game career if I were to do this Jason style,” she added. “Wonder how he does that.”

As Day, jokingly hurt at the submission, warns, “You don’t want to go full J-Day,” Ko explains the reason behind her stance. If Ko were to adopt Day’s method, she would have to let go of her swing consistency, something that she has always relied on. For the 15+ years she has played, she has used the same motion, adjusting only the club or landing spot. She will also have to re-learn how her wrists, arms, and torso interact with each other, and that’s a complete overhaul. As such, she feels that it’s better for her to follow her own style.

Jason Day’s technique might look simple. But that is when he’s floating the lofted, spin shots around the greens. He is a versatile player whose everyday shots depend on the variables he faces on that particular day. The variables here include the setup, ball position, and even the hand-shaft relationship.

“I feel like Jason has a unique but very consistent style of short game, but hits so many different types of shots with that,” Ko admitted. “I didn’t know that was possible.”

As Day steps on the course, the first thing he does is scan the environment, something he learnt as a teen. He closes his eyes to picture a “high bomb draw.” As the visualization finally feels right, he takes two practice swings. Then, he picks an ultra-specific target, gives one final waggle, and swings. For Ko, that’s not a possibility.

However, there is one thing related to Day’s game that Ko has studied closely. “The biggest thing that I learnt was Jason’s routine,” Lydia says. “I try and do a good job of the things that I can control, and your pre-shot routine, those kinds of things are in my control.” Day’s process becomes very consistent here. His thought behind the club selection and other micro decisions have impressed Ko. “Just seeing how meticulous he was with that and how consistent that was, I’m sure he didn’t just wake up one day and found that routine, right? He found what worked,” she said.

While it is now no secret that Ko has learned a thing or two from Day, the latter has also picked up a few things from the former’s game.

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Partnership runs both ways for Jason Day

Jason Day has been fascinated by Lydia Ko’s simple precision and wedge practice. A particular process from the Hall of Famer stands out for Day, which he couldn’t help but share. “She puts coins out on the driving range,” he notes. ” I really love her putting technique…just off the charts.”

For a player who has spent years trying to sharpen his own edge game, Day admits that Ko’s methodical repetition stands out for him. He points at how controlling flights and spins are hard for many players, but not for Ko. Notably, he is not the first player to praise Ko in this regard.

Lydia Ko’s process mirrors Jason Day’s philosophy of focusing on the game’s basics. It’s about focusing on what can be done under pressure, rather than sticking to mechanical perfection. For him, the magic is how she shows up on the range and repeats those patterns, without over-complicating them. “That’s kind of the way that my mind thinks about when I’m playing golf,” Jason Day shares. “I try to keep things as simple as possible.”

While a shared humility exists between the two, their results over the years have not been up to the mark. During the event’s inaugural year, Day and Ko emerged as the winning pair, with a score of 26-under. However, in the last two editions, they’ve finished at the same position – sixth, with the exact same score of 20-under. They will look to put up an improved show this time around.