Rory roars to top of the world

First America, now the world.

Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is golf’s global king at the age of 22 after officially becoming the game’s No 1 player last night.

Victory at the Honda Classic in Miami catapulted McIlroy to the top of the world rankings, the first Irishman to do so, and the youngest since Tiger Woods, whom McIlroy held off in Palm Beach Gardens to secure a third PGA Tour triumph.

“I didn’t think it would come so fast, at 22.

But it shows if you work hard and dedicate yourself, in the end great things can happen,” McIlroy said.

Already reigning US Open champion, McIlroy will now focus all his efforts on The Masters in less than a month.

McIlroy was ranked 1,309th when he turned pro on Sept 20, 2007, at the British Masters.

The $1m prize for his two-shot victory last night takes his on-course career earnings beyond $7.2m.