Buoyed by some sage advice from five-time major winner Phil Mickelson on the eve of the US PGA Championship, Jason Day has warned critics to write him off at their own risk.
Day, who won the PGA Championship in 2015 and finished runner-up during his title defence last year, is winless in 2017 and lost his world No.1 ranking to Dustin Johnson.
But the 29-year-old Australian believes one particular round at last week's World Golf Championships event confirmed the fire was back in his belly in time for year's final major at North Carolina's Quail Hollow.
"At the start of this year, I wasn't fussed about my results because, obviously, I was distracted (by his mum's cancer diagnosis)," Day told AAP on Wednesday.
"But then I shot an even-par round last week and I was absolutely headless. That's a good positive sign my attitude and expectations are in the right place, which is important heading into a major."
Frustrated with surrendering his 47-week reign at the top of the world rankings to big-hitting American Johnson in February, Day said a heart-to-heart with 2005 PGA Championship winner Mickelson at a champions dinner on Tuesday night had given him perspective.
"It annoys and motivates me at the same time," said Day about slipping to world No.7.
"Because I know how good I can be; I have got to No.1 in the world.
"I was talking to Phil last night; he said you can never know what's around the corner, but you've got to keep practising and keep staying disciplined. As long as you keep improving, you'll have that great run again."
Day pointed to world No.4 Rory McIlroy's sizzling finish to 2016 as proof average form around can be turned around at the 11th hour.
Four-time major champion McIlroy was winless on the US PGA Tour last year before winning the second and final Playoffs events to claim the $10 million FedEx Cup prize.
"You can't write yourself off, ever. It's hard when you feel like the year's kind of gone, it's hard to kind of pick yourself up," said Day.
"But I've still got the PGA and there's four playoffs events.
"I remember Rory winning the FedEx Cup, coming off a year that probably he wouldn't think it was the greatest until the playoffs.
"You never know what's around the corner."
Day joins Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Cameron Smith, Rod Pampling, Scott Hend and Stuart Deane in the Australian contingent at Quail Hollow.
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