McIlroy wins Honda Classic and becomes World No 1

Needing to win the Honda Classic in Florida to end Luke Donald’s nine-month reign, the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland had to contend with Woods, joint 18th teeing off, charging from nine behind to only one back.

An eight-under par 62, one outside the course record, was the lowest final round of the American’s career and it came to a crescendo when he followed a 24-foot putt for birdie on the short 17th with an eight-footer for his second eagle at the last.

That was just like the good old days for Woods, and it came moments after Lee Westwood had equalled his lowest score in the States with a 63.

All eyes then turned back to McIlroy and he was up to the task as he became the second youngest No 1, after Woods, since the rankings began in 1986.

The US Open champion had just had his first bogey of the day on the 12th to be 11-under par to Woods’ ten-under, but he came straight back with an eight-foot birdie on the next. McIlroy then saved par from deep rough beside the 14th green, but still to come was the three-hole stretch known as the “Bear Trap”.

Ahead of him Justin Rose went into the water on the short 15th and fell out of contention, but McIlroy got up and down from the back bunker there and then did it again at the 190-yard 17th.

That took him to the tee on the 556-yard last still two in front and he made the safest of pars for a closing 69 that gave him the title by two from Woods and 43-year-old American Tom Gillis, with Westwood two strokes further back after starting the day 27th.

McIlroy said: “It was tough today, especially seeing Tiger make a charge. I knew par golf would probably be good enough and that’s what I was trying to do, so to shoot one-under is very nice and I was able to get the job done.

“My short game all week has been very good and it’s what you need on a tough course like this. You know you are not going to hit every green.”

He is the fourth European in a row to head the rankings following Westwood, Martin Kaymer and, for the last nine months, Donald. The coronation could have happened a week ago, but McIlroy lost the final of the Accenture Match Play in Arizona. Nobody can deny the Holywood golfer’s right to be there. Since the USPGA Championship last August he has played in 11 ranking events and finished outside the top five in only one of them.

Woods, who had two eagles and four birdies in a flawless display that buried memories of his poor finishes in Abu Dhabi and at Pebble Beach earlier this season, said: “I hit it really good in the wind in Australia [in November] and thought there was no reason I couldn’t do it again – and putt like I did the last two days. It came together. I figured I needed birdie-birdie [from the last two holes] to have a chance.”

But, with McIlroy holding his nerve, birdie-eagle did not even prove to be enough. His putting, often questioned, came to his rescue on the final day in West Palm Beach. On the front nine he saved pars from 13, eight and 12 feet and didn’t miss one from under ten feet.

Within minutes, his tennis star girlfriend, Caroline Wozniacki, tweeted from New York: “Amazing performance. Tournament win and new world number one. Deserves a good celebration.”

It might have to wait. She is playing this week and so is McIlroy in Miami at the second of the season’s world championships.