McIlroy has long figured to get to No. 1 in golf's official world rankings.

"It was always a fantasy of mine to get the globe No. 1 and also the best player on the planet or anything you want to call it," McIlroy said Sunday. "But I did not determine what I might be able to get here this quickly. ... Hopefully, I will keep it for any little longer."

Yesterday, McIlroy would have gone to No. 1 had he defeated Hunter Mahan inside the finals in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona. But McIlroy fell 2 and 1 and needed a victory Sunday to move before Luke Donald and provide TaylorMade R9 TP Irons Northern Ireland its first top-ranked golfer.

McIlroy, who turned pro in 2007, moves prior to the Englishman who held the very best position for nine months or possibly a duration of 40 consecutive weeks. Donald is off and away to a slow start this coming year after winning money titles for both the PGA and European tours next year. He was eliminated within the first round with the WGC-Match Play and failed to play with the Honda Classic.

The other day, either McIlroy or Lee Westwood would have arrived at No. 1 having a victory on the Match Play, which heightened a persons vision inside semifinal match won by McIlroy.

After coming close there, the ability was again presented in the Honda, where McIlroy had to win and took a 2-shot lead over Harris Taylormade R9 Irons English and Gillis to the final round. McIlroy has finished inside the five in 10 of his past 11 tournaments.

"I feel a tad bit more motivated, which is possibly the reason," McIlroy said of his extended run of fine play which dates to last year's PGA Championship, where he a break down wrist injury. "I'm basically just playing golf and yes it may seem like each and every time Time passes around, I play in the way I must and it's really liberating. Hopefully I could ensure that is stays getting a while."

The victory is McIlroy's fifth official worldwide win as being a pro, to go with titles on the European Tour in Dubai and Hong Kong, a victory at Quail Hollow for the discount golf clubs PGA Tour this season and the 2011 U.S. Open victory at Congressional. Honda is his third PGA Tour title to look in addition to Quail Hollow along with the U.S. Open.

McIlroy becomes the 16th player to hold no. 1 ranking dating to its inception in 1986. Since Woods relinquished the very best spot at the end of 2010, it is often held by Westwood, Donald and Germany's Martin Kaymer.