Jason Day’s Controversial On-Course Looks
Jason Day’s Controversial On-Course Looks
By Hardy Greene — October 2, 2024
In recent years, there has been a loosening of long-standing traditions and standards limiting golfers’ abilities to express themselves through their clothing.
As the 2024 PGA season drove onward, these changes became a debated topic brought to the forefront of golf news. This was due to one golfer stepping outside of the traditional golf fashion norms: Jason Day.
Day is an Australian golfer who has been on tour since 2008. In 2015 he became the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world following five wins, including his only major title, the 2015 PGA Championship. He remained at the top of the golf world in 2016, winning three tournaments including the Players.
Day fell from the upper echelon of golf following his two years at No. 1, but returned to conversation in January 2024 when he left Nike Golf and signed with Malbon. Malbon is a self-proclaimed lifestyle brand “inspired by the game of golf,” and their mission statement is to “Inspire today’s youth to participate in the greatest game on Earth.” With these descriptions, it is easy to imagine that Malbon does not fit the stereotypical “country club fashion” that has long been the standard in golf.
This endorsement catalyzed a massive debate within the golf community when the 2024 Masters rolled around. Jason Day played the first round of the legendary tournament in oversized navy Malbon trousers, a white golf shirt, and a navy hat. The pants were the subject of the first jabs thrown by golf purists. As his first round went on, Day decided to throw on a white and black Malbon vest, described by several media outlets as “too busy.” After his third round, Day announced that Augusta National, the host of the prestigious event, had asked him to remove his vest during his second round. This continued to fuel the fiery discourse on “proper” golf attire.
The debate went on for the extent of Masters Week with numerous golf outlets and stars taking sides. While much of the golf media agreed that golfers should stay within the standards and traditions established by country clubs decades ago, a handful of outlets came to Day’s defense. Joe Ferguson wrote a piece for Golf Monthly stating that the reactions to Jason Day’s clothes were a, “...terrible look for golf,” and that it is counterproductive to the media’s claimed efforts to “grow the game.”
Day has not let the controversy slow him down, as the former world No. 1 has continued to show his style and represent Malbon’s effort to modernize golf fashion. Whether you like Day’s style or not, it has the golf world on fire and is making the game more representative of the youth that will one day emerge as the leaders of the sport.
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