No. 1 in the world was on the line for Rory McIlroy

No. 1 in the entire world was exactly in danger for Rory McIlroy, but that wasn't perhaps the biggest subplot during the day. That has been owned by a person in bright red whose game finally matched the brilliance of his shirt.

Woods' 62 may not have put a scare into McIlroy, however it did put everyone on realize that he is able to still play golf. Performing it on Sunday after it has been such a long time since he's won a true tournament screamed out Woods was, indeed, back.

The only real question for you is the amount still matters. On the crowd count, yes, and maybe extending its love to the count always in Woods' head ?a the 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus.

However, there is a brand new attraction in golf, a curly haired 22-year-old from Northern Ireland that is just as much fun to observe as Woods in his prime and a lot more fun to be with. McIlroy's boyish charm and obvious joy for the game come in stark callaway x22 irons contrast to Woods, and he seems so approachable any particular one fan about the 17th tee on Saturday asked him which kind of shampoo he makes use of.

But the way he stared down Woods within the final round could possibly be what separates him coming from all the pretenders that came before.

McIlroy never backed off, regardless if Woods made eagle for the final hole to drag within one in the Honda Classic. He heard the roars through the 18th green, then increased and calmly knocked inside a birdie putt on No. 13 on his way to a victory that made him the youngest No. 1 player on the globe since ?a you got it right ?a Woods at the start of his career.

McIlroy is probably not the next Woods, but that's an unfair comparison. Woods as part of his prime am dominant the possibilities there'll not be anyone like him again. Anf the husband showed Sunday that he isn't done yet, something that should sell tickets and spark TV ratings the rest of the year.

Still, there's about McIlroy that's attractive to watch, something about him that oozes star power. We've known it since his runaway win with the U.S. Open last year, and that he confirmed it with a breezy day made better yet by the pressure through TaylorMade Ghost TM-110 Tour Putter  the still big footsteps of Woods. While Woods was magnificent, McIlroy was steady and that was all he needed to get to be the first No. 1 since Woods that casual golf fans actually care about.

"It was always a dream of mine for being the entire world No. 1 and also the best player on the globe or whatever you want to think of it as," McIlroy said. "But I did not understand that I'd be capable of geting here this quickly."

But he did, barely 5 years after turning pro as a teenager along with Woods facing him in all his red shirt, fist-pumping glory. Woods' swing differs but he looked just like the Tiger of past ?a except, that's, as he waded within the crowd of autograph seekers he accustomed to ignore and signed away as McIlroy played his strategies by.

That has been much better than just how Woods started the week, which began having a testy exchange using a writer who had the temerity to inquire discount golf clubs about him in regards to a book his old swing coach, Hank Haney, wrote. Excerpts from the book seem fairly innocuous and even address the sex scandal that brought Woods down, yet he felt compelled to get his agent issue an argument mocking the book as well as author.

Maybe Woods needs the friction to get his playing juices flowing. Or maybe he just needs to feel in charge. In any event, he found a means over the last two rounds to get a balky putter going and place at least the thought of a scare into McIlroy.

Other players, though, don't fold the moment Woods turns up together with his clubs. Most certainly not McIlroy, who already carries a major as part of his pocket as well as a short game that rivals that of Woods in their prime.

"This golf season just got far more spicy," said countryman Graeme McDowell.

They'll get together again next week on Doral's Blue Monster, only this time around an extremely hot Phil Mickelson will join the enjoyment. For many the golf year doesn't begin until the azaleas start blooming in Georgia, but already this year we've seen Mickelson shoot a 64 to win at Pebble Beach, Woods fire a 62 to just about accomplish a shocker himself, and 2 players result from more than a half dozen time for win within the final round of tournaments. Television ratings are up, and golf suddenly seems fun again, extending its love to the sporadic fan.