McIlroy studied the details of Woods’s career

Fifteen years after Woods had become the youngest player to ascend to No. One out of the planet rankings at 21 years 6 months, McIlroy, 22, took over as second youngest together with his two-stroke victory Sunday at the Honda Classic at P.G.A. National.

It was great to find the job done, said McIlroy, who closed using a one-under-par 69 to get a 72-hole total of 12-under 268. I knew going out there the circumstances will be tough, and i also only agreed to be scheming to make as many pars as possible, and also you know, when a few opportunities presented themselves, I tried to look at them. That's all I had been attempting to do.

Fittingly, in order to supplant the Englishman Luke Donald within the rankings, McIlroy had to prevent a charge by Woods, who finished tied for Ping K15 Driver second after closing using a 62, his lowest final round in 17 years about the PGA Tour.

Woods, who began the afternoon nine strokes behind McIlroy, literally front nine in four under and pulled to a shot off of the lead having a birdie-eagle finish. The enormous crowd ringing the 18th green was roaring for Woods's 3 on the 549-yard hole as McIlroy lined up his 9-foot birdie work for balance No. 13.

McIlroy, the reigning U . s . Open champion, made the putt like looking at the practice green instead of for the precipice of golf history. He then one-putted three in the final five greens to keep off two former world No. 1s: Woods and Lee Westwood, who posted a 63 to end fourth.

It was a lot more meaningful the way I won today, said McIlroy, who won with the wind whipping the flagsticks for the front nine and Woods breathing down his neck around the back.

From a morning storm blew through, the air crackled with electricity when Woods found another gear inside the homestretch. He sank a 25-foot birdie putt at No. 17. After having a 325-yard drive on 18, Woods had 205 yards to the pin. He hit a 5-iron to eight feet ?a 7 feet through the mizuno JPX E600 driver water hazard ?a making it the putt as if it were 2000.

At roughly one time, McIlroy was carding his only bogey with the round, on the par-4 No. 12. He missed a 12-foot putt for par but rebounded using the discount golf clubs birdie for the next hole while using roar for Woods at No. 18 ringing in his ears.

I heard that huge roar, McIlroy said. I knew it definitely wasn't a birdie roar. I knew that putt at 13 was going to be extremely important.

McIlroy was too steady, too steely, for anyone to trap. He earned six putts of 6 feet or longer, together with a 13-footer for par on the second hole.