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Jason Day and long-time mentor and swing coach Colin Swatton have parted ways after over two decades of success.
“It’s been a long and successful road working with Col. I have just decided I want to make a change and work on my own as it pertains to my golf swing,” Day told PGATOUR.COM on Wednesday ahead of this week’s World Golf Championships–FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
“Col has been way more than just a caddie and coach to me. I am forever grateful for all he has done for my golf and his continued friendship,” Day added.
Day, now 32, first came under Swatton’s tutelage at age 12 at a golf boarding school in Australia not long after losing his father to cancer. Day’s mother took out a second mortgage and sent her son to the school as a last resort after he began skipping school, drinking alcohol and getting into street fights.
“It’s been a privilege to work with Jason since his childhood and I’ll always cherish the ride we’ve shared that took us all the way to the top of the golf world,” Swatton said.
Swatton stepped in as a father figure and helped guide Day into a 12-time PGA TOUR winner who spent 51 total weeks as world No. 1 during a dominant 2015-16 season.
In that stretch Day claimed eight of his wins, including the 2015 PGA Championship and the 2016 THE PLAYERS Championship plus two FedExCup Playoffs events and a World Golf Championships trophy.
Day has not won on TOUR since the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship and slipped outside the top 50 in the world for the first time in 10 years earlier this season. However back-to-back top 10s at the Workday Charity Open and the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide have him back at 44th and confident of a return to his best.
“It was a nice confidence booster (in Ohio). My game feels like it is coming together at the right time so I’m looking forward to trying to maintain this momentum,” Day said.
For 10 of his 12 PGA TOUR wins, a Korn Ferry Tour win, plus a win at the 2013 ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf, Swatton also doubled as Day’s caddie. In late 2017 Swatton came off the bag to concentrate solely on coaching duties but will now look to further his career elsewhere.
In the past year Swatton has increased his role in golf media, including becoming a commentator on PGA TOUR LIVE, while also looking to expand his coaching stable to other TOUR players and up and coming junior talent.
“I am proud of what was accomplished but even more so I am proud of the man Jason has become,” Swatton said. “We will always remain close friends and I wish him well as he continues his journey. I am excited for the future for both of us as I know there is much more to come.”
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Source: PGA tour
