Rory McIlroy reclaims world No. 1 ranking for ninth time, a decade after his debut in the top spot

There’s a new No. 1 golfer in the world who doubles as an outdated No. 1 golfer in the world. With his victory at the 2022 CJ Cup on Sunday afternoon, Rory McIlroy returned to the top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time since July 2020 and ninth time in his profession.

In taking down Kurt Kitayama and Ok.H. Lee, it was McIlroy who overtook Scottie Scheffler, ending the 2022 Masters champion’s 30-week run at No. 1.

Even extra outstanding than McIlroy regaining the No. 1 ranking is that he has sustained a degree of greatness over the final decade. This marks McIlroy’s ninth totally different stint at No. 1 simply over 10 years after his debut in March 2012 shortly after he grew to become a skilled.

Lots has occurred over the final decade, however McIlroy has not fallen out of the top 15 in the world in that point. He’s one in all simply three golfers who’ve a 10-year hole between their first look as world No. 1 and their most up-to-date. The different two are Tiger Woods (17 years) and Greg Norman (11.5). Nobody else greater than a 3.5-year hole between appearances.

“I guess that’s where I say like the cool thing about it is you get to No. 1, and it feels great in the moment,” stated McIlroy earlier this week. “The unhealthy factor is you virtually [have] to … perhaps work more durable to remain there. I feel, while you’re striving towards one thing, not that it is simpler to get there, however like when you get there, it is nice. But I feel the exhausting work is definitely staying there.

“I think if I get back to No. 1 this week, it’s like my ninth time getting back. It sort of illustrates you can have your runs and you can stay there, but I think the cool part is the journey and the journey getting back there. It’s sort of like a heavyweight boxer losing a world title and it’s a journey to get that title back. I feel like that’s the cool part of it and that’s the journey that I’ve sort of been through over the past 12 months.”

McIlroy has certainly been taking part in a few of the finest golf of his profession over the final 12 months. In his final 15 begins worldwide, he has 12 top 10s, 10 top fives, three wins and only one missed reduce. Since the begin of 2022, he is been far and away the finest statistical participant in the world at over 2.7 strokes gained per spherical. The subsequent closest coming into this week at the CJ Cup was Scheffler (2.5).

In a 12 months in which McIlroy disappointingly didn’t win a main championship — although he completed in the top 10 in all 4 — it is a little bit of a reprieve that he basically completed every part else: a FedEx Cup victory, three wins on the PGA Tour, near $30 million in on-course earnings (together with FedEx Cup bonus cash) and a return journey to the top of the OWGR desk. It’s been a outstanding exhibiting.

Here’s a have a look at all 9 instances McIlroy has been the No. 1 participant in the world.