Rory McIlroy is the worlds leading golfer once again after replacing Brooks Koepka at the summit of the game.
After a difficult five-year stretch, the Northern Irishman’s recent surge in form has seen him shoot back up the rankings to end Koepka’s 38-week stay at the top.
McIlroy has enjoyed a remarkable run since shockingly missing the cut at The Open in 2019.
Since that forgettable week, the 30-year-old has secured nine top-nine finishes in 11 starts on tour - including two victories.
His FedEx Cup victory sent a message to the rest of golfing world showing that McIlroy is well and truly back to his best, and now the task of holding on to that top spot begins.
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McIlroy won’t be able to sit back and relax though as you can be sure that Koepka will be smarting after relinquishing the number one ranking.
It has been a long time coming for McIlroy who last topped the game way back in September 2015.
You can’t help but feel that his timing couldn’t be better though, with a Ryder Cup on United States soil looming on the horizon.
He got the year off to a decent start as well, finishing in a tie for third at the Farmers Insurance opening before he went on to speak about the prospect of regaining the world number one ranking.
“I didn’t know I was going to get a chance this early, but this has been a goal of mine for a while,” the 30-year-old said.
“Winning four times last year, I closed the gap a little. There was a point in the middle of last year where I was four ranking points behind Brooks, which is a big gap.
“So it wasn’t on the radar when I was flying back from Ireland after the Open, but then, once I’d won the Tour Championship and then won again in China, I kind of saw that gap closing.
“Then it sort of became, ‘Huh, I’m actually close’.”
McIlroy’s 96th cumulative week at the top the rankings will end with an immediate challenge to his throne at the Genesis Open in California.
With a lead of just 0.03 points over Koepka, McIlroy will be looking to eke out some breathing room at the famous Riviera Course.