Deposed No1 Rory McIlroy said it was “inevitable” that Jordan Spieth would become the world’s top-ranked player – and that Jason Day would one day be a major winner.
Praise has poured in for Day after the 27-year-old Australian held off the challenge of American star Spieth to win the US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, the biggest title of his career.
Day carded a final-day 67 to finish on 20 under par and three shots clear of runner-up Spieth, who may have fallen just short in his bid for a third major of 2015 but still replaced McIlroy as world No1.
And the Northern Irishman, who finished 17th on nine under as he relinquished his hold on the PGA Championship and top spot in the rankings, was not surprised in the least by those two outcomes.
He wrote on his Twitter feed:
2 inevitable things happened today, @JDayGolf winning a major and @JordanSpieth getting to 1 in the world! Congrats guys!! Inspiring stuff!
— Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) August 16, 2015
Like McIlroy, Tiger Woods, who has won the PGA Championship four times among his 14 major wins, has been similarly impressed by Spieth and Day – who is now third in the world.
– Jason Day to Tiger Woods: PGA Championship winners & losers
– VIDEO: Emotional Day reflects on PGA Championship victory
– VIDEO: Spieth: "PGA Championship the best loss I've ever had"
He tweeted even before Day reached the 18th green:
Game over, very happy for Jason. Great dude and well deserved. Hats off to Jordan, incredible season. Calling it early.
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) August 16, 2015
Speaking to the media after the tournament, McIlroy admitted Spieth fully deserved to replace him at the top of the rankings.
“Honestly, the way Jordan’s been playing and the way I haven’t played much throughout this year – I think that was only my 12th or 13th event – it’s very deservedly so,” said McIlroy, who had not played since the US Open in June after rupturing an ankle ligament playing football with friends on July 4.
“Winning two majors, winning a couple of other times this year, had a chance at the Open, had a chance today. I’d be the first one to congratulate him because I know the golf you have to play to get to that spot, and it has been impressive this year.”
Asked if regaining top spot would give him extra motivation, McIlroy added: “Not really. I’ve always said that winning golf tournaments takes care of all of that stuff.
“Right now I’m focused on just getting my game the way I think it has to be to win events like this.”
Spieth, 22, becomes the second youngest world No1 after Woods, who was a year younger when he first reached the top in 1997.
