Rory McIlroy held off a charging Tiger Woods to win The Honda Classic in Florida and take over as the new world number one.
Needing a victory to knock Luke Donald off top spot, McIlroy kept his cool in impressive fashion after Woods, nine back at start of play, finished birdie-eagle to shoot a stunning 62 and set the clubhouse target of 10-under.
Tiger was just one back when he rolled in his eight footer for eagle at the last but McIlroy responded to the roars on 18 with a birdie at 13 and then held his nerve through The Bear Trap - the tough stretch from 16-18 - to stand on the 18th tee with a two-shot lead, the margin he held at start of play.
A beautiful drive down the middle set up a safe par and, aged just 22, McIlroy was the new number one.
McIlroy’s career highlights so far….
• Born 4th May 1989.
• Aged two hit a 40 yard drive.
• Aged 13 won the 2002 Ulster Boys Championship.
• Aged 14 won the 2003 Irish Boys Championship.
• Aged 15 won the 2004 Irish Youths Amateur Championship.
• Aged 16 became the youngest player to win the Irish Amateur Closed Championship in 2005.
• Aged 17 won the Irish Amateur Closed Championship for a second consecutive year in 2006 and became European Amateur Individual Champion.
• Aged 18 won the Silver Medal as Leading Amateur in The Open Championship in 2007, after finishing tied 42nd. Aged 18 was also the Number One Ranked Amateur.
• Aged 18 represented Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup in 2007.
• In September 2007, aged 18 turned professional and joined The European Tour as an Affiliate Member. Won enough money from just two events to finish in the top 115 of The Order of Merit in 2007. Was the then quickest player to achieve the feat.
• Aged 19 won his first European Tour event at the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic, to become the seventh youngest winner in European Tour history.
• Aged 20 became the second 20 year old to reach the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking in 2009.
• Aged 22 and 46 days became the youngest European Tour Major winner since The European Tour began by winning the 2011 US Open Championship.
• Aged 22 years and 312 days became the second youngest player to reach Number One in the Official World Golf Ranking, following Tiger Woods, who was 21 years and 167 days, when he first reached Number One on June 15th, 1997.