5 Mar 2012

McIlroy becomes world number one

12:19 pm on 5 March 2012

The Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy has won the US PGA Tour's Honda Classic in Florida to become the new world number one.

McIlroy carded a one-under par 69 to finish 2 shots ahead of Tiger Woods, who started the day nine adrift but charged to the clubhouse lead with an eight-under par 62 that eventually left the 14-time major champion tied for second place with Tom Gillis.

Woods, the former world number one who hasn't won a tour level event in more than two years, had a career best final round score.

At 22 years old, McIlroy became the second-youngest player, behind Woods, to claim the number one ranking.