PGA veteran Jason Day donned a full gray sweatsuit on Sunday at Pebble Beach, drawing gasps and harsh critiques from across the fashion-conscious golf world.
Day, 37, shot a final-round 69 at the famed Northern California course, tying for 13th at 12-under 269.
But it wasn’t his play that raised eyebrows Sunday — it was what he was playing in.
Day could easily have been mistaken for any random guy putting around a par 3 public course Sunday, donning gray sweatpants and a gray crew sweatshirt that had no distinguishable markings aside from a cursive M on his upper left chest.
The M stood for his clothing sponsor, Malbon Golf, which seeks to “honor the heritage of golf while opening it up to a broader community, blending time-honored values with a fresh, creative spirit,” according to the Los Angeles-based brand.
One golf fan asked the PGA: "Will you please explain to us how Jason Day was allowed to play Pebble Beach in a sweatsuit?"
Another viewer said Day's untraditional take on golf attire is fine, but "wearing a sweatsuit on the final day at Pebble is ridiculous."
While professional golfers don’t have a uniform, as in team sports, their attire is relatively standard — khakis and a simple short-sleeved polo shirt.
The actual rules governing "appearance of players" are a bit vague.
"Players shall present a neat appearance in both clothing and personal grooming," according to page 147 of the PGA Player Handbook. "Clothing worn by players shall be consistent with currently accepted golf fashion."
CBS commentator Trevor Immelman, the 2008 Masters champion, comically speculated that Day must have been wearing those clothes out of desperation.
"Did he lose his luggage?" Immelman said on air.
And Day played along with Immelman's wisecrack, later posting on Instagram: "Lost my luggage."
Malbon Golf co-founder Stephen Malbon defended Day's duds, saying comfort is all that matters.
"As a professional athlete, Jason prioritizes comfort, as it plays a crucial role in his performance at the highest level of competition," he said in a statement Monday. "Weather, comfort, and layering were key factors in selecting the most playable sweats on tour."
It isn't the first time Day and Malbon have pushed the edges of golf attire etiquette.
At the most recent Masters, Day wore a loud, white sweater vest with black and red lettering with: “No. 313. Malbon Golf Championship.”
An Augusta National Golf Club official asked Day to change out of that sweater, and he respectfully complied.
