Jason Day enjoying No. 1 ranking at Masters

Jason Day doesn’t consider himself the Masters Tournament favorite, but he’s enjoying being ranked No. 1 in the world for the first time while at Augusta National Golf Club.

“I feel comfortable with where I’m at, walking around the grounds at No. 1 in the world; it’s a good feeling,” the 28-year-old said Tuesday.

Day took over the top ranking from defending Masters champion Jordan Spieth after he won the WGC-Match Play on March 27, which was his second victory in a row and his sixth in the past seven months. That includes the PGA Championship in August, where he set a major championship record with a 20-under winning total.

“There’s a lot of people out there that can play well this week and win,” said Day, name-checking Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson and 45-year-old Phil Mick­elson.

“There’s so many players that can win around here, and there’s not just one heavy favorite this week, which is fantastic,” he said. “I think it’s good for the game of golf and I think it’s good for this tournament, as well. “

Day, playing in just his sixth Masters, has already been in Sunday battles where he had a shot at winning. He tied for second in his debut in 2011 and was third in 2013.

If he’s there again this year, he hopes he’ll be up against some of his fellow pre-tournament favorites because he “thrives off that competitiveness,” he said.

“Big names are good. I want the best playing against the best and fighting out for it,” he said. “If I end up not wearing the green jacket at the end of Sunday but I have a fantastic competitive match on Sunday against the best players in the world, that’s what I’m there for. I would enjoy a Spieth-McIlroy, (Rickie) Fowler-(Adam) Scott, (Bubba) Watson-Mickelson Sunday. That would be a lot of fun.”

Day is playing so well that he could easily break the “No. 1 jinx” in the Masters. Tiger Woods, in 2002, is the last player to win the Mas­ters while ranked No. 1.

“I feel good about my game,” Day said. “But I know that I can’t take it for granted because obviously in this game, things can change pretty quickly. It’s such a competitive sport now and so many guys can win, and it’s so tough to win. But I do feel good with how I’m playing right now and where I’m at mentally and physically.”

Looking back on his previous Masters appearances, Day said he wasn’t mentally ready to win. He is now.

“I couldn’t really handle that, especially in 2013 when I kind of gassed it coming in and didn’t play that well,” he said. “I had the opportunity to win, but yeah, now with what I’ve done the last year and a half, I feel like I’m preparing myself for a good Sunday here and a good final nine hopefully.”

Day, who travels in an RV, recounted a story about how he was so frustrated with his game in 2011 that he thought his first Masters might be his last because he was considering quitting the game.

“I had my agent, my wife and a sports psychologist, and we’re just sitting there, and I’m like, ‘I just do not like the game right now. I’m just having a very, very hard time picking up the golf club to even just enjoy myself out there.’

“So we come to the conclusion of just going and saying, this might be my last Masters ever playing, I may as well enjoy it. So I went out there and finished second. And then I loved the game again.”