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Australian golf star Jason Day has recorded back-to-back top-10 finishes on the US PGA Tour for the first time since February last year.
Jason Day has secured an all-important week's rest after continuing his hot form before the shortened season's three goal majors.
Day finished in a tie for fourth behind Spanish winner and new world No.1 John Rahm at the US PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village - where the Australian is a member and has his home nearby.
While disappointed to close with a one-over-par 73, Day was chuffed at having posted back-to-back top-10 finishes for the first time since February last year.
Day was also delighted to rebound from an early double-bogey on the par-3 fifth hole to hang tough in brutal, major-like conditions during Sunday's final round in Ohio.
His impressive result, after a tie for seventh at last week's Workday Charity Open, lifted the 32-year-old from 58th to 44th in the world rankings, guaranteeing him a spot at the WGC-St Jude Invitational from July 30-August 2.
Just as importantly, Day - who continues to manage a chronic back injury that flared up again during the third round - can now take this week off having played six weeks in a row since the tour's resumption from the coronavirus-enforced shutdown.
He missed three of four cuts before coming good.
Day, who has also surged from 79th to 57th in the FedEx Cup standings, will be hunting a second PGA Championship title when the first major of 2020 is hosted at the TPC Harding Park course in San Francisco from August 6-9.
He finished at four under at the Memorial, five shots behind Rahm, whose closing three-over 75 was still good enough for a three-stroke victory over American Ryan Palmer (74).
A 10th professional victory helped Rahm supplant Rory McIlroy from the world No.1 ranking, making the 25-year-old only the second Spaniard after his idol Seve Ballesteros to reach golf's summit.
Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick had a 68 for the low score of the final day to claim outright third at five under, one ahead of Day.
Australian Marc Leishman closed with a 76 for a share of 40th with playing partner Tiger Woods (76), while Cameron Smith tied for 68th after a horror final-round 79.
On the US's development circuit, Ryan Ruffels climbed inside the top 50 on the Korn Ferry Tour money list after finishing tied for 18th, his best result since February.
Harrison Endycott was tied 40th but Steven Bowditch, Jamie Arnold, Rhein Gibson, Robert Allenby, Brett Drewitt, Brett Coletta and Curtis Luck all missed the cut in Texas.
