Jason Day is hopeful of being a factor at the US PGA Championship despite the challenges of new parenthood and his slide down the world rankings.

A year ago Jason Day came to the US PGA Championship as ‘one to watch’. He was seventh in the world; the top ranked Australian, and was being anointed as perhaps a saviour for Australian golf.

But 12 months on he has slipped to world No.23, his four top 10s worldwide this season not a patch on 2011 where he finished second in two majors and notched up a dozen top 10 finishes.

Admittedly there have been distractions.

Niggling injuries and his wife Ellie’s pregnancy kept Day’s focus away from golf at times and with baby Dash now in tow he has to get used to some juggling.

“It will take a while to get used to everything that comes with a new baby, the sleep patterns and things like that but just like with anything in life with practise, you get better at things,” Day said.

“Poor Ellie is running on fumes and when I’m getting up with them it is hard to go out the next day and practise or even play golf.”

Day received a crash course in how the two worlds can collide when he returned to competitive golf at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational last week.

Staying in his customary RV, sleep was scarce and a rusty start left him tied 29th, well behind his T4 finish of the year before.

For the first few rounds at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, Day will be without his family who’ll be at home in Ohio.

“It’s hard because I want to be in there helping her but I also need to sleep to basically do my job at my highest level,” Day said.

“But I’m certainly not complaining. Like I’ve always said family comes first and I am now just learning to put everything in its own box. Family in one, golf in another.”

Day’s goals remain lofty, but with an added dose of reality.

“I want to be the best player in the world, that hasn’t changed,” he said.

“But it is a little harder to do right now while the focus is on my family. I will continue to be the best I can be both on and off the course and I have to be realistic in this adjustment period.

“I still expect a lot from myself, and will go hard to get it, but afterwards I have to make sure I give myself a little breathing room so frustration doesn’t set in.

“My golf got better as the week went on last week so it’s all heading in the right direction for this week.”