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Tiger the real world No. 1 - McIlroy

Rory McIlroy says Tiger Woods is the best player in the world © PA Photos

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Rory McIlroy believes Tiger Woods has no equal when the 14-time major champion is on top of his game.

McIlroy is widely regarded to be the long-term successor to Woods, but while the world No. 2 is ranked five places higher than Woods, the US Open champion claims the rankings can be short-sighted.

Woods claimed his first PGA Tour win in over two years at Bay Hill last Sunday, and McIlroy believes the American's stats speak for themselves.

"I do believe Tiger is the best in the world," McIlroy said in The Independent. "You can't judge someone just by how they've played over the last few weeks, the last few months.

"You have to look at the overall picture. Tiger's won 14 majors and 72 PGA Tour events. People have very short memories. They forget that, just a couple of years ago, he won a US Open on one leg; in 2007-08, his win percentage was over 50 per cent. When he's on, he's by far the best player in the world."

McIlroy is putting the final touches to his preparations for The Masters as he returns to Augusta bidding to exorcise the demons of his final-round collapse last year.

"Last year's Masters was definitely a defining moment for me," McIlroy was quoted as saying in the Scotsman. "It could have been a crossroads in my career. I could have done what I did on Sunday at Augusta and let it affect me and let it get to me, and maybe go into a slump, or get down or feel sorry for myself."

With neither McIlroy nor Luke Donald in action last week, there were no changes at the top of the world rankings, but American Hunter Mahan moves into the top four after his victory at the Shell Houston Open.

World Rankings: 1. Luke Donald (ENG), 2. Rory McIlroy (NIR), 3. Lee Westwood (ENG), 4. Hunter Mahan (USA), 5. Steve Stricker (USA), 6. Martin Kaymer (GER), 7. Tiger Woods (USA), 8. Charl Schwartzel (RSA), 9. Justin Rose (ENG), 10. Webb Simpson (USA), 11. Jason Day (AUS), 12. Dustin Johnson (USA), 13. Adam Scott (AUS), 14. Phil Mickelson (USA), 15. Graeme McDowell (NIR), 16. Bubba Watson (USA), 17. Bill Haas (USA), 18. Matt Kuchar (USA), 19. Keegan Bradley (USA), 20. Nick Watney (USA)

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