Jason Day breaks down talking about mom's lung cancer

AUSTIN — A tearful Jason Day withdrew Wednesday from match play to be with his ailing mother, Dening, who has lung cancer and is scheduled to have surgery Friday.

The defending champion of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play played seven holes against Pat Perez but couldn’t continue. The surgery will be performed at the James Cancer Center at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, near Day’s home.

His mother, Day said, has a three- to four-centimeter mass on her lung. He said she was diagnosed in Australia at the beginning of the year and was told she had 12 months to live. She flew to the United States last week and underwent a battery of tests. The doctors here are more optimistic.

“It's been a very, very hard time for me to even be thinking about playing golf,” Day said. “And emotionally it's been wearing on me for a while. And I know my mom says not to let it get to me, but it really has been hard.

“So I just need some time away with her to make sure that everything goes well because this has been very, very tough for me. So I'm going to do my best and try and be there the best I can for her because she is the reason that I'm playing golf today. … I'm hoping for a speedy recovery for her, and we can get this behind us and she can live a long, long life.”

Day was 12 when his father died of stomach cancer.

“It's been very, very emotional, as you can tell. I've already gone through it once with my dad. And I know how it feels,” Day said. “And it's hard enough to see another one go through it, as well.”

Day’s agent, Bud Martin, said he doesn’t know if Day will play in the Masters in two weeks.

“The most important thing in his world right now is being with his mom Friday during that surgery,” Martin said. “Whether he’s playing (the Masters), I know that’s something he wants to do. But anyone around here who has a mother, I think you know that she comes first. Being by her side in Ohio when she has the surgery is something that I think just overwhelmed him. He thought that was where he needed to be.”

Day, 29, has battled back problems and said he disclosed his mother's illness so the media wouldn't speculate about why he withdrew.

Perez had taken a 3 up lead after six holes when Day withdrew.