6 Aug 2014

McIlroy plays down being the best

11:30 am on 6 August 2014

The Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy says his recent form does not signal "the start of an era", as he prepares for the US PGA Championship.

Norther Irish golfer Rory McIlroy.

Norther Irish golfer Rory McIlroy. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The world number one has won his last two tournaments, including the Open Championship at Hoylake, and is favourite to claim his fourth major at Valhalla in Kentucky this week.

But the 25-year-old says while his confidence is high, talk of the "Rory era" is premature.

McIlroy stated earlier this year that golf was looking for someone to dominate the game.

He says he's happy to be at the top of the rankings, playing well and winning tournaments, but he's not sure you could call that the start of an era.

McIlroy is bidding to become the first player to win back-to-back majors since Padraig Harrington triumphed at the Open and the US PGA in 2008.

He won his first major at the 2011 US Open at Congressional and followed it up with victory in the 2012 US PGA at Kiawah Island.

McIlroy is only the third player after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to win the three modern majors at the age of 25, and needs just the Masters to become only the sixth player in history to clinch all four of golf's major titles in his career.

Nicklaus, Woods, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen are the other players to have achieved the feat.

The US PGA Championship, the final major of the year, begins near Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday morning New Zealand time.