![Rory McIlroy regains World No. 1 ranking with CJ Cup win](https://www.berlinertageblatt.de/media/shared/articles/61/33/32/Rory-McIlroy-regains-World-No--1-ra-664462.jpg)
-
Spacecraft to swing by Earth, Moon on path to Jupiter
-
What's the fallout of Mexican drug lords' capture?
-
Video game makers see actors as AI 'data,' says union on strike
-
Chinese qualifier Shang to face Thompson in ATP Atlanta semis
-
Concern grows as Venezuela blocks election observers
-
'Massive attack' on French rail threatens more chaos
-
'We did it!': France breathes sigh of relief after Olympics ceremony
-
Blinken, in Laos, set for talks with Chinese foreign minister
-
Regional concern grows as Venezuela blocks vote observers
-
Historic river parade, Dion show-stopper ignite Paris Olympics
-
Rainy Paris Olympic parade dampens many spectators' spirits
-
G20 pledges to work together to tax ultra-rich
-
The one of a kind Paris opening ceremony: five memorable moments
-
Justin Timberlake seeks to dismiss DUI case
-
Warner Brothers Discovery sues NBA over Amazon rights deal
-
Kobe Bryant locker, Maradona jersey up for auction in New York
-
Historic river parade launches Paris Olympics
-
Stocks rise as US inflation data boosts rate cut hopes
-
New York family of Holocaust victim reclaims Nazi-looted art
-
NASA Mars rover captures rock that could hold fossilized microbes
-
Thousands evacuate season's biggest wildfire in northern California
-
Sinaloa Cartel co-founder pleads not guilty after stunning US capture
-
Ethiopia mourns victims of landslide tragedy
-
Lady Gaga adds sparkle to star-studded Olympic show
-
Airbus and Boeing supremacy secure despite turbulence
-
Teams sail down Seine in rain-soaked Olympics opening ceremony
-
Norris hoping for more after topping Belgian practice times
-
West Indies' treble strike rocks England in third Test
-
Trump slams rivals as he meets Netanyahu in Florida
-
Olympic opening ceremony under way on River Seine
-
Mott's England future uncertain as ECB chief fails to offer support
-
Trump meets Israeli PM Netanyahu in Florida
-
S.African police say 95 Libyans detained at suspected military camp
-
Blinken set for talks with Chinese counterpart in Laos
-
Norris heads Piastri in McLaren one-two at Belgian GP practice
-
G20 seeks common ground on taxing super-rich
-
European medicines watchdog rejects new Alzheimer's drug
-
Harris gets vital Obama backing in battle against Trump
-
Habib, Ebden eye Alcaraz and Djokovic shocks at Olympics tennis
-
Stocks rise as inflation data boosts rate cut hopes
-
Long queues, ticketing problems ahead of Paris opening ceremony
-
Two Sinaloa Cartel leaders face US charges after stunning capture
-
Spain train driver jailed for 2.5 years over deadly 2013 crash
-
Paris poised for Olympic opening ceremony spectacular
-
Judoka fails doping test in first case at Paris Olympics
-
Holder and Da Silva keep England at bay after West Indies collapse
-
Alpine F1 boss Bruno Famin to leave in August
-
Ethiopia declares three days of mourning after landslide tragedy
-
Brazilian dunes dotted with dazzling pools make UNESCO heritage list
-
Rain, cooling slow huge blaze in Canada's Jasper park
![Rory McIlroy regains World No. 1 ranking with CJ Cup win](https://www.berlinertageblatt.de/media/shared/articles/61/33/32/Rory-McIlroy-regains-World-No--1-ra-664462.jpg)
Rory McIlroy regains World No. 1 ranking with CJ Cup win
Rory McIlroy held on for a one-stroke victory in the US PGA Tour CJ Cup on Sunday to return to the top of the world rankings for the ninth time in his career.
Three late birdies proved crucial when the Northern Ireland star bogeyed the last two holes but still edged American Kurt Kitayama.
The four-time major winner is back atop the rankings for the first time since July 2020 -- when he was supplanted by Spain's Jon Rahm.
He ousted American Scottie Scheffler, who finished tied for 45th on Sunday to see his 30-week stint at the summit end.
"It means a lot," McIlroy said. "I've worked so hard over the last 12 months to get myself back to this place. It feels awesome.
"It's a big achievement."
McIlroy defended the CJ Cup title he claimed last year in Las Vegas. The tournament has been moved from South Korea for three straight years because of travel restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.
He notched a 23rd career PGA Tour title, and continued to show the strong form of his 2021-22 campaign, in which he won a record third FedEx Cup playoff crown and finished in the top eight at all four majors.
McIlroy has also emerged in recent months as a strong voice supporting the US PGA Tour amid the emergence of the rival LIV Golf Series.
"I think it has a continuation of how I've been playing over the last few months and hopefully I can continue into Dubai in a few weeks' time and into 2023," he said.
McIlroy started the day at Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina, with a one-shot lead over Spain's Rahm, Kitayama and South Korean Lee Kyoung-hoon.
It was a tight race for most of the day as all found birdies in the early going, McIlroy picking up strokes at the par-five second, the fourth and the sixth before a three-putt bogey at the eighth.
He and Kitayama, seeking a first US PGA Tour title, were tied at 16-under after birdies at the par-five 12th.
The tied turned, however, when McIlroy rolled in a 13-foot birdie putt at the par-three 14th to ignite a run of three straight birdies.
At 15, he landed his shot from the sandy waste area five feet from the pin and made that for birdie. At 16, he rolled in a 22-foot birdie putt to stretch his lead to three strokes.
- 'It feels great' -
As it turned out, he'd need all of that cushion as he finished with back-to-back bogeys.
At 18, he was in the fairway, but his second shot finished 41 feet from the pin and his putt raced seven feet past the hole.
He needed two putts from there, but Kitayama couldn't get his birdie putt to drop and so a bogey was enough to seal McIlroy's win.
"It feels great," McIlroy said. "It feels great to go out there with the lead, shoot a good score, play really well and get the win.
"I'm proud of how I handled everything this week."
Kitayama played withough a bogey, posting four birdies in his four-under 67 for 268.
Lee had three birdies in his three-under 68 and was alone in third on 269.
Rahm, who had a share of the lead at 15-under on the back nine, couldn't recover from a bogey at 14 and finished tied for fourth on 270 with England's Tommy Fleetwood, who carded an impressive 65.
Y.Bouchard--BTB