Rory McIlroy hoping to clinch the number one spot on OWGR at WGC Accenture Match Play Championship
World number two Rory McIlroy is now contemplating to soar to the number one spot on the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) for the first time in his career, at this week’s WGC Accenture Match Play Championship.
The young Irishman has been switching number two spot for quite a while with his arch enemy, Lee Westwood, but has never been able to topple world number one Luke Donald from the top slot.
After a stellar start of the season where he has already pulled in two top-ten finishes, McIlroy is hoping to bag the coveted Match Play title this week, something which will effectively dismantle Donald from the number one spot.
McIlroy was addressing a press conference ahead of the star-studded gala in Tucson, Arizona.
He said, "I think things like this just go in cycles. And you know, seeing someone like Lee get the Number One and then Martin and Luke".
He continued, "You see those guys do it, and you're sort of thinking to yourself if they can get there, so can I. I think that's got a little bit to do with it as well".
The top-four on the OWGR will be pitched in a stiff battle to bag the title, meandering through the unpredictable Knock-out format of the event.
Both Donald and Martin Kaymer are known for their skills in the one-on-one showdowns and were the only ones who made it through to the final of the event last year.
Donald pulled in the WGC Accenture Match Play title earlier in the last season, to trigger one of the best seasons of his career.
He won four events on both sides of the Atlantic and surged to the top of the money lists both on PGA and European Tour.
Kaymer defeated Bubba Watson in the semi final last year to surge to the top of the world rankings, effectively dismantling Westwood from the top.
He is only the second German player in the history to rise to the top f the OWGR after the legendary Bernhard Langer.
Kaymer’s reign on top lasted for a few weeks before Westwood reclaimed the crown later on.
McIlroy, a comparatively unknown player at that time, remained in oblivion but has come a long way in the past 14 months in his career.
He expressed his liking for the Match Play format and vowed to land the title amid the strong opponents this week.
He added, "I’ve been put out in the second round the last couple of years, so it would be nice to get off to a good start here, it would be nice to advance to the weekend at least and see what can happen from there".
The otherwise bleak but picturesque Ritz-Carlton at Doral will shoot back to life this week, as the top-ranked players from across the world will fly down in an attempt to lift the title.
The course offers a sprawling amalgam of sand dunes, mammoth Cacti and high winds of the Arizona desert.
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