Australia’s former world No.1 usually arrives up to a week before major championships, but abandoned plans to fly out of New York last Saturday night to avoid a Trump circus.

“I had three weeks off before this, so I could have got in early,” Day said ahead of the first round of the British Open on Thursday at Royal Birkdale.

“I was actually supposed to get here Sunday and I was flying through JFK and President Trump was there, and there was a bunch of delays. So I just decided to move my flight back a little bit later.

“I took Monday off and usually I do get in here to places like this early. I usually get in Thursday or Friday and play a couple of practise rounds.

“I did it this year at Augusta and I was just truly knackered by the time I started Thursday.”

It’s not the first time a head of state has held Day up.

“President Obama held me up one time flying out of Palm Springs,” he said.

“So I understand. It is what it is. So it was massive delays. They were stopping and starting, so I just didn’t bother with it.

“And it was quite nice, I got to spend more time with the kids at home.”

Day hopes his waylay proves a blessing as he struggles to regain the scintillating form that took the Queenslander to the 2015 US PGA Championship and the world’s top ranking that he held for 51 weeks – and most of last year.

“This week has felt a lot quicker to me. I’ve got a lot of good prep going into this week,” said the now world No.6.

“I’ve been doing a lot of work back home, and then obviously playing 18 holes yesterday.

“All in all I feel pretty ready and fresh going into tomorrow’s round.”

-AAP