Rory McIlroy, at 22 years of age, continued his spectacular World Rankings rise on Sunday when he toppled fellow Brit Luke Donald to become the new World No 1 for the first time.
A triumphant Rory McIlroy, the new World No 1
And this after holding off a sensational charge by former World No 1 Tiger Woods at the Honda Classic at PGA National in Florida on Sunday.
Woods, who roared up the leaderboard with a career best closing round of 62, eventually finished in a second-place tie with Tom Gillis, a 43-year-old journeyman who has never won a tournament, but who, for most of the four days at PGA National, had made a great fight of his battle for the lead with McIlroy.
The hugely talented Northern Irishman, who showed no signs of a hang-over following his runner-up finish at last week's mind and energy sapping WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship where he was eventually beaten by American Hunter Mahan, started the last day with a two-shot lead and finished up winning by the same margin after shooting a closing 1-under-par 69 for a closing 12-under total.
He had looked to be cruising to victory until Woods, closely followed by Lee Westwood, made his final-round charge up the leaderboard with that 8-under 62 which, thanks to an eagle at the last, his second of the day, briefly cut McIlroy's margin to just one stroke .
But McIlroy never allowed his final-round melt-down at the Masters last year to haunt him, and showing a growing maturity, he kept his composure through the dangerous 'Bear Trap' trio of holes to win his third PGA title.
He had previously won at Quail Hollow in 2010 with a closing course record 62 and then last June when he became the youngest winner of the US Open since 1923 - by eight shots and with a record score by four.
This week's victory, though, came under the toughest pressure imaginable.
It's bad enough chasing a victory and the World No 1 spot after getting so close in the previous week, but then, seeing The Tiger coming at you with the most spectacular final round of his fabled career, hardly make things easier for the front runner - even if you are McIlroy.
And there was more.
World No 3 Lee Westwood, also bidding for the World No 1 spot, was right up there, just behind Tiger.
Moments after Woods had nailed his closing eagle, Westwood edged in just behind him with a 63 - the lowest score the Englishman has ever posted Stateside.
And all this at a time when McIlroy, the reigning US Open champion, had just had his first bogey of the day on the 12th.
It dropped him back to 11 under par to Woods's 10 under, but the determined Northern Irishman came straight back this time with an eight-foot birdie on the next.
McIlroy then saved par from deep rough beside the 14th green, but ahead of him lay the dreaded 'Bear Trap' where Justin Rose, a second round leader, but now trailing and playing ahead of him in the field, found the water on the short 15th and fell out of contention.
McIlroy, however, managed to get 'up and down' from the back bunker there and then, steeling his nerves, 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 in back after starting the day 27th.
It was the perfect test of McIlroy's credentials, playing three of the toughest holes on the tour, designed by the watching Jack Nicklaus, with Woods and Westwood waiting at the finish for him to slip-up.
"It was tough today, especially seeing Tiger make a charge, seeing him post a 62," said McIlroy.
"To shoot one under in these conditions when you go in with the lead....I was just able to get the job done."
Woods, despite just missing out on his first full-field win on the US PGA Tour since the BMW Championship in September 2009, was clearly upbeat with a performance which strongly indicated that he is indeed well on track to recapturing the kind of form that made him the most dominant golfer of recent times and took him to 14 major wins.
"I really didn't miss many shots today. It was a good day and I hit a lot of good putts that went in and some that just skirted the edge," he said.
"It could have really been something special today if a few of my near misses could have gone in.
"It feels good because I felt like I've been close to shooting this score or scores like this. It was just a matter of time before things all fell into place," he said.
Gillis, playing in the final group with McIlroy, birdied the final hole for a 69 and a well-deserved tie for second place at 10-under.
Westwood, who held the number one ranking for 22 weeks in 2010 and 2011, finished outright fourth, two shots back at eight-under.
South Africa's Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, who lost ground with his third double bogey of the week, closed witha 69 to tie Rose at seven-under for joint fifth place.
McIlroy's compatriot Graeme McDowell, the 2010 US Open Champion, also closed with a 69 to tie for 9th place with Americans Kevin Stadler and Chris Stroud.
TOP 10 LEADERBOARD
USA unless stated, par 70):
268 Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 66 67 66 69
270 Tiger Woods 71 68 69 62, Tom Gillis 68 64 69 69
272 Lee Westwood (Eng) 70 69 70 63
273 Justin Rose (Eng) 66 66 71 70, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 71 66 67 69
274 Dicky Pride 66 67 71 70, Rickie Fowler 69 72 67 66
275 Kevin Stadler 66 71 69 69, Chris Stroud 70 69 67 69, Graeme McDowell (NIrl) 73 64 69 69
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