When PGA veteran Jason Day wore a full gray sweatsuit on Sunday at Pebble Beach, the fashion-conscious golf community gasped and criticized him harshly.
Day, 37, tied for 13th place at a 12-under 269 after shooting a final-round 69 at the renowned Northern California course.
However, it was what he was playing in on Sunday that caused people to take notice, not his play.
Wearing grey sweatpants and a grey crew sweater with no distinguishing features other than a cursive M on the top left chest, Day could have easily passed for any random guy putting around a par 3 public course on Sunday.
The M represented his apparel sponsor, Malbon Golf, a Los Angeles-based company that aims to preserve golf’s legacy while introducing it to a wider audience by fusing traditional principles with a modern, imaginative vibe.
“Will you please explain to us how Jason Day was allowed to play Pebble Beach in a sweatsuit?” a golf enthusiast asked the PGA.
Day’s unconventional approach to golf gear is OK, according to another viewer, but “wearing a sweatsuit on the final day at Pebble is ridiculous.”
Similar to team sports, professional golfers don’t wear uniforms; instead, they dress in khakis and a basic short-sleeved polo shirt.
The precise guidelines pertaining to “appearance of players” are a little ambiguous.
As stated in the current PGA manual, “Players shall present a neat appearance in both clothing and personal grooming,” page 147. “Clothing worn by players shall be consistent with currently accepted golf fashion.”
The 2008 Masters champion and CBS analyst Trevor Immelman made the amusing assumption that Day must have been desperate enough to wear those clothing.
“Did he lose his luggage?”On air, Immelman said.
Immelman’s witty remark was accepted by Day, who afterwards shared on Instagram, “Lost my luggage.”
Stephen Malbon, a co-founder of Malbon Golf, defended Day’s duds, arguing that comfort is the most important factor.
In a statement released on Monday, Stephen Malbon stated, “As a professional athlete, Jason prioritizes comfort, as it plays a crucial role in his performance at the highest level of competition,” “Weather, comfort, and layering were key factors in selecting the most playable sweats on tour.”
Day and Malbon have stretched the boundaries of golf dress decorum before.
Day donned a loud white sweater vest with the following black and red text during the most recent Masters: No. 313. Malbon Golf Championship.
Day politely obliged when an official from the Augusta National Golf Club instructed him to take off that sweater.