Golf: Day nervously trying to find form ahead of Masters

Jason Day of Australia tees off during the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship. Photo / Getty Images

Jason Day has admitted his nerves ahead of the Masters are rising with just two tournaments left to sharpen his game for the tournament he covets most.

The world No.3 lines up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week after a slow start to 2016, knowing former Masters champions like countryman Adam Scott, American Bubba Watson and South Africa's Charl Schwartzel are all in winning form heading to Augusta.

And with stats showing only his putting, where he sits third on the tour, is keeping up with his usual high standards, the time is now to get his game in order.

"I'm nervous because I mean The Masters is one tournament that I've always wanted to win, but in the same breath I just can't get too far ahead of myself because I have to focus on this week," Day said.

"It would be good for me if I could can really get things going and start to play really well, it would be a good trend for me not only for my golf but for my confidence as well going into the major."

He is down on his 2015 stats in driving distance and accuracy, greens in regulation, strokes gained: tee to green, ball-striking and sand saves.

"If there's one thing I'd like to improve upon over the next couple weeks is really from tee to green, trying to improve that, hit more fairways, hit more greens," he said.

Day is still feeling the effects of taking a long off-season break around the birth of his daughter Lucy, but insists he has no regrets, wanting to be a big part of his children's lives after having a tough upbringing of his own.

The time off came right on the back of winning four events in a six-event stretch, including his maiden major at the PGA Championship.

"It hasn't been the greatest (start to the year). I mean with the expectation of everyone and then obviously the expectation of myself thinking that I should be coming out here and contending and competing even after a three-month layoff, it's still pretty high," he said.

"I was hitting it a lot better last year but it's only early on the season and I've got two weeks in a row here that I can get things going.

"The motivation has always been there. I still want to be the best. I want to get back to No.1 but these things take time.

"It's not like something you can click a button and it happens over night."

Day is joined by Scott, who enters off back-to-back victories, but won't arrive on course until Wednesday as well as Aaron Baddeley, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Ryan Ruffels in the Australian tilt.