Jason Day to battle emotions at Augusta after mother's cancer surgery
- From the section Golf
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Jason Day says his mother's cancer diagnosis means victory at this week's Masters would dwarf the emotion of his maiden major win at the 2015 US PGA.
Australian Day, 29, pulled out of the WGC Match Play two weeks ago to be with his mother before she had lung surgery.
The operation was a success and he is now focused on a second career major.
"I was very emotional when I won my first. You can just multiply that by a hundred I think," he said before Thursday's first round at Augusta.
Day's mother, Dening, was initially told by doctors in Australia that she only had 12 months to live, but her prognosis has improved since she joined her son in the United States for treatment.
"At the start it was kind of tough to get her over here because she's very, very stubborn," the former world number one said.
"She was coughing up blood for three months and she didn't even bother telling anyone about it.
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"She went through a successful surgery on her left lung and she was told by the doctor we don't have to do chemo, which is really, really exciting stuff.
"Obviously we have to be cautious because the first two to three years are very, very important."
Day's father, who introduced him to golf after rescuing an old three wood from a rubbish dump, died from stomach cancer when his son was 12.
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After getting the positive news, Day says he feels "a lot lighter" as he prepares for his seventh Masters campaign.
He finished tied for second in 2011, third in 2013 and in a share of 10th last year.
"I'm going to just do the best job I can with what I've got," the world number three said.
"Obviously my priority and my main focus was my mother, and now that's kind of evolved and taken care of and I can start to focus more on the golf side of things and do the best job I can."