Jason Day in Masters top 10 again but still seeking jacket

Jason Day called it a “disappointing week” at the Mas­ters Tournament.

The No. 1-ranked player in the world was hoping to add his first green jacket and second major title in a row. Instead, he closed with 73 on Sunday and finished in a tie for 10th place at 1-over.

“Although it was a disappointing week from tee to green, it wasn’t that bad,” Day said. “I’ve just got to keep working hard. And then hopefully the hard work will pay off. But I’ll look at what I did wrong this week and try and improve that in future tournaments here.

“But it is what it is. I’ve got to keep fighting and keep trying to win as many as I can.”

In his sixth Masters appearance, Day never got on track. He opened with rounds of 72-73 before posting his low round of the tournament in the third round (71) to give himself a chance, trailing 54-hole leader Jor­dan Spieth by three shots.

Instead of making a run, Day scattered his tee shots all over Augusta National, hitting just five of 14 fairways in the final round. Out of position most of the day, he hit just nine of 18 greens.

“Kind of a disappointing week, from tee to green,” he said. “On the green was great. When I gave myself the opportunity I felt like I could capitalize, but today I didn’t give myself the opportunity.”

Day shot even-par on the front side in the final round. Needing to make a charge, he bogeyed No. 10, parred his way around Amen Corner, made his second and final birdie of the day at No. 15, then closed with a bogey at No. 18.

“The back side wasn’t what I would like it to be,” said Day, who posted 13 birdies and 13 bogeys for the tournament along with a triple bogey in the first round. “You can’t get close to the pins, and if you’re not close to the pins you’re aiming 20, 30 feet away from the pins to get it somewhat close. You’ve got to really hit your golf ball well around here to really get any sort of opportunity.”

Day entered the Masters seeking his third consecutive victory. The 28-year-old Australian, who won the 2015 PGA Championship, took home the Arnold Palmer In­vi­ta­tional title last month before claiming the World Golf Cham­pionships-Match Play two weeks ago.

The odds-on favorite to win the Masters, Day posted his third top-10 finish in Augusta and the first since 2013. The previous two years, he finished tied for 20th and tied for 28th.