Day back from injury break

n Day is back, and the inflamed thumb that has kept him from playing since the Masters is ''totally fine''.

Day is playing the Memorial tournament at Jack Nicklaus' Muirfield Village starting tonight on his home course in Ohio, although the PGA Tour has set him a task by pairing him with world No. 1 Adam Scott and world No. 6 Rory McIlroy, both winners last weekend, on the first two days. "That's going to be fun,'' he told reporters in Columbus today. "Threw me in the deep pretty quick.''

 Day has had a problematic season, starting with his biggest win, the World Golf Championship matchplay title in February, but then blighted by the on-again-off-again left thumb injury.

With hindsight, the Queenslander says he underestimated the importance of his hands to his golf; when he came back and played the Masters after a break (he finished 20th), the thumb was sore and he believes he set back his recovery a little. He has rested up since, and resumed practising a couple of weeks ago, and says he is pain-free now.

 The world No. 7 has had cortisone shots, used a compound cream, used a cast and several splints on his thumb. "He (the doctor) said it was (from) overuse.  But I don't know how many balls I've hit on the range and hit through my life.  I think it's just you look at it as a rubber band.  You keep stretching it out and out and out; it slowly loses its tension.  That's what happened with my thumb.

Finally got to a breaking point, and I was lucky enough to get it after my win at WGC.  So I'm happy about that.'' 

He watched a lot of golf on television at home as he recuperated, getting anxious and moody.  "I'm like, 'I want to be out there playing with them as well.' So my wife Ellie, knew when to come talk to me and when not to.''

 Day rose to No. 4 in the world earlier this year, his highest ranking, before the injury flared up. For several years the knock on him was that he did not win often enough; then he won the individual section of the World Cup at Royal Melbourne late last year and the WGC matchplay. The timing of his injury could not be worse, but it is major championships he covets, with the US Open just a couple of weeks away.

 ''In my career I've had great finishes in major championships, and I just only look at that and go:  That's an unbelievable experience that not many people get to have, especially at a young age.

I feel like I will win a major championship.  I've just gotta pay my dues and really keep working hard and hopefully I'll get a few by the end of my career.''