NEW YORK: Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy, the top three in the world golf ranking, are all going to Muirfield Village for the Memorial coming off victories.

The second-ranked Spieth won Sunday at Colonial for his eighth PGA Tour victory and first in his home state of Texas.

Day, the world’s No. 1 player, hasn’t played since winning The Players Championship two weeks ago. McIlroy took a short break after winning his home tournament at the Irish Open last week.

“For me, it’s big just to take a big step and a small chunk into Jason’s lead right now,” Spieth said. “I knew there was a large gap. I had been told before last week that had I won last week (at the Byron Nelson) and this week, I still wouldn’t take over, which just speaks to what Jason has been able to do.”

The Jack Nicklaus-hosted Memorial starts Thursday in Dublin, Ohio.

Meantime, former US Open champion Justin Rose has withdrawn from this week’s Memorial tournament with a lingering back injury.

England’s Rose won the US PGA event, hosted by Jack Nicklaus, in 2010 and was second last year, losing to Sweden’s David Lingmerth in a playoff.

The world number 10 hasn’t played since finishing equal 19th at the US PGA Tour’s Players Championship three weeks ago.

His back trouble also prompted him to withdraw from last week’s European Tour PGA Championship at Wentworth.

However, he said there last week that he was “upbeat” about his chances of being fit for the US Open at Oakmont in Pennsylvania in June.

Rose won the US Open at Merion in 2013.

Spieth cuts Day lead in world rankings

Jordan Spieth has eaten into Australian Jason Day’s lead at the top of the latest world rankings after his victory in the Dean and Deluca Invitational at Colonial on Sunday.

The Texan, 22, won his eighth title on the PGA Tour in style, finishing with birdies at the last three holes to triumph by three strokes.

It was the first time he had won a title in his home state.

Meanwhile, Englishman Chris Wood climbed 32 places to 22nd thanks to his win in the European PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday.

Official World Golf Ranking top 20:

1. Jason Day (AUS) 13.40 pts

2. Jordan Spieth (USA) 11.60

3. Rory McIlroy (NIR) 9.66

4. Bubba Watson (USA) 7.77

5. Rickie Fowler (USA) 7.41

6. Henrik Stenson (SWE) 7.10

7. Adam Scott (AUS) 6.85

8. Dustin Johnson (USA) 6.60

9. Danny Willett (ENG) 6.55

10. Justin Rose (ENG) 5.90

11. Branden Grace (RSA) 5.18

12. Patrick Reed (USA) 5.06 (+1)

13. Sergio Garcia (ESP) 5.00 (-1)

14. Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 4.76

15. Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 4.60

16. Brooks Koepka (USA) 4.18

17. Brandt Snedeker (USA) 3.98

18. Matt Kuchar (USA) 3.91 (+2)

19. Phil Mickelson (USA) 3.87 (-1)

20. Zach Johnson (USA) 3.83 (-1)

Selected other

22. Chris Wood (ENG) 3.61 (+32)