If someone had told Rory McIlroy after he had missed the cut at the Valero Texas Open in April that he’d be World No. 1 just six months later, he wouldn’t have believed it.
“I would have asked them what they were smoking,” McIlroy said.
And yet there McIlroy is, on top of the golf world again.
The 33-year-old Northern Irishman carded four back-nine birdies on Sunday, signing for 4-under 67 at Congaree Golf Club to win the CJ Cup in South Carolina and ascend to World No. 1.
McIlroy successfully defended his title – which he won in Las Vegas at The Summit Club a year ago – for his 23rd PGA Tour title, posting a 72-hole total of 17-under 267, one stroke better than Kurt Kitayama, in Ridgeland, South Carolina.
“It means a lot,” McIlroy said of returning to World No. 1 for the first time since July 2020. “I’ve worked so hard over the last 12 months to get back to this place.”
McIlroy, who won the season-long FedEx Cup in August, joins Tiger Woods as the only reigning FedEx Cup champions to win his first start of the next season. (Woods won the 2008 Farmers Insurance Open.)
Dad is number 1 ❤️
Rory and Poppy share a moment after the win @CJCUPSC. pic.twitter.com/kJIpJ5HehI
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 23, 2022
Carrying a one-stroke lead into Sunday, McIlroy opened the final round with three birdies in his first six holes before three-putting from 27 feet at No. 8 for a bogey. Another former World No. 1 Jon Rahm made birdies on three of his first five holes to give chase but failed to make a birdie after the 12th and shot 69. He settled for a tie for fourth with Tommy Fleetwood, who closed in 65.
McIlroy turned on the after burners on the second nine. Sensing he was in a dog fight with Jon Rahm and promising pro Kurt Kitayama, McIlroy reeled off four birdies in a five-hole stretch beginning with at the par-5 12th, where he wedged to a foot from 60 yards.
“The birdie on 14 was the real turning point for me,” McIlroy said. “It’s a really tough par 3, to make 2 there felt like I picked up at least a shot and a half on the field.”
Kitayama, who was bidding for his first PGA Tour title, put up a strong fight. He uncorked a 339-yard drive at the par-4 15th to set up a 44-foot eagle putt, but failed to take advantage, lipping out a 6-foot birdie and settling for a 3-putt par. He shot 67 and notched his third runner-up finish of the year in his last 14 starts. At the same hole, McIlroy drove into a waste bunker, but wedged to 5 feet and canned the putt to extend his lead to two shots with three holes to play. McIlroy smelled blood in the water, pouring in a 22-foot birdie putt one hole later and pumped his fist as he knew victory was now in his sights.
“When he gets that putter going, he’s tough to beat and that’s kind of what happened,” Kitayama said. “He made those three putts, that was the difference.”
A man on a mission.
3 straight birdies for @McIlroyRory.
He leads by 3 with 2 to play @CJCUPSC. pic.twitter.com/Nr1V8oRufV
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 23, 2022
McIlroy needed every bit of the cushion too as bogeys at 17 and 18 made it a bit more interesting than he would’ve liked. Still, it was enough to secure at least one win in six consecutive seasons on the Tour.
“It feels great to go out there, go out there with a lead, shoot a great score, play really well and get the win,” he said. “It’s an awesome way to start the season, I guess, and obviously just a continuation of how I feel like I’ve been playing over the last few months.”
Back in San Antonio in April, McIlroy already was down in the dumps after missing the cut on Friday and was unable to catch a flight home to Florida until the morning.
“Got back up to my hotel room and went to order room service and they said it will be a two-and-a-half-hour wait. So I basically missed the cut, went to bed on an empty stomach and I was like, let’s just wake up tomorrow and start again,” he recalled.
Some golf being played by @McIlroyRory right now. #1 in the world yet again! Congrats to him and his team 🏆
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) October 23, 2022
In notching his third win since June, McIlroy, who has been No. 1 for a total of 106 weeks during his career, supplanted Scottie Scheffler, who had been No. 1 for 30 weeks since March 27 and finished T-45. McIlroy claimed World No.1 for the first time in March 2012 after winning the Honda Classic. He returned to the top spot for the ninth time in his career. For McIlroy, it was the journey more than destination that mattered to him.
“Just the journey of trying to get the best out of myself. I think that’s the satisfying thing,” he said. “I never feel like I’ve figured this game out, I don’t think I ever will figure it out, but every day I wake up trying to get closer.”
