Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy send their congrats to Jason Day and new No. 1 Jordan Spieth

Tiger Woods had long since left the scene and Rory McIlroy had lost his perch atop the world rankings. However, the formerly top-ranked golfers recognized the history that Jason Day and Jordan Spieth made on Sunday at Whistling Straits, acknowledging both the new record-setting PGA champion and world No. 1.

Day, who won his first title by breaking Woods’ major scoring record with the best score relative to par (20-under to Tiger’s 19-under), counts Woods as a good friend. The feeling is obviously mutual, since congratulatory tweets from Tiger, who missed his third straight major cut on Friday, are not exactly plentiful.

Day credited several people in his life with helping him finally capture that major victory that had frustratingly eluded him.

“He texts Tiger all the time,” Day’s wife Ellie told GolfChannel.com after her husband emerged a three-shot winner over Spieth.

Colin Swatton, Day’s long-time coach, caddie and the man the newly crowned PGA champion credits with saving his life, would not divulge private conversations between the two men. He did tell GolfChannel.com, though, that Woods has passed along advice that “has been a help in allowing Jason to get better.”

McIlroy’s position at the head of the official world golf rankings seemed locked down for the foreseeable future until an injured ankle forced him to miss title defenses at Firestone and St. Andrews. Grouped with Spieth and British Open champion Zach Johnson for the first two days last week, McIlroy was unable to get much going then or over the weekend and failed to defend his PGA title.

Rory conceded what was destined to be when he finished the PGA in 17th and Spieth came in solo second. McIlroy also acknowledged the inexorability of Day’s accomplishment.

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