"It's very special" – When Rory McIlroy matched a feat only Tiger Woods had surpassed

Rory McIlroy won The Honda Classic in 2012 and moved up to number one in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR). The Northern Irish golfer became the second youngest golfer to reach the top in the OWGR.

The then 22-year-old Rory McIlroy played the final round of 69 at The Honda Classic 2012, which is now called the Cognizant Classic, to register a two-stroke win over Tiger Woods and Tom Gillis. It was his third win on the PGA Tour.

Following the victory, Rory McIlroy reflected on becoming the World No. 1, saying (via BBC):

"It's very special. When I was 10 or 11 I was interviewed and said I wanted to be the best player in the world and I wanted to win majors."

Tiger Woods is the youngest golfer to become number one in the world. He was 21 years old when he became the number one in the world in 1997, while McIlroy achieved the feat at 22.

The Northern Irish golfer had an impressive start to his game at The Honda Classic 2012 with a solid round of 66. He then played the second round of 67. McIlroy maintained the momentum even in the concluding two rounds and played the next two rounds of 66 and 69 to win the championship.

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When Rory McIlroy reflected on winning The Honda Classic 2012

Rory McIlroy had a close competition with Tiger Woods at The Honda Classic 2012. The American played an impressive round of 62 in the finale of the PGA Tour event, while McIlroy carded 69. However, the Northern Irish golfer managed to clinch the title.

During the press conference of The Honda Classic on March 4, 2012, Rory McIlroy reflected on his performance, saying (via ASAP Sports):

"It was great to get the job done today. I knew going out there the conditions would be tough, and I was just trying to make as many pars as possible, and you know, when a few opportunities presented themselves, I tried to take them. That's all I was really trying to do," McIlroy said.

"Obviously I saw a couple of guys making a charge, and I heard the roar on 18 when Tiger made eagle and I was just about to line up my putt for birdie on 13, I was able to hole that putt, which was very important, and you know, I knew if I could just play the last five holes at even par, it was going to be good enough," he added.

Having started playing at a professional level in 2007, Rory McIlroy has so far won 42 professional tournaments in his career, including 27 on the PGA Tour. His success at The Honda Classic, however, was limited to a single win in 2012.