Former World No.1 Luke Donald was the among the first to offer congratulations to golf’s new King – Rory McIlroy.

McIlroy dethroned Donald as the game’s best player with a truly gallant final round 69 to win the Honda Classic by two shots with an 12-under par victory tally at Palm Beach Gardens.

Playing sensible golf down the daunting par five 18th and leading by two, McIlroy and his caddy J P Fitzgerald agreed to lay-up and then in finding the green in three McIlroy calmly two-putted to seal his fifth pro career success and his third in the States.

But with victory came the new role of the game’s Number One ranked player and just four years and some five months after turning professional at the 2007 British Masters at the Belfry.

Rory McIlroy now the second youngest World No. 1. (Picture - PGA Tour).

First to embrace McIlroy was his proud father Gerry who also had been the first to congratulate his only child last June following McIlroy’s commanding Congressional performance.

Donald had been Number One in the world since defeating fellow Englishman Lee Westwood at last May’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

And Donald, who was at home in Chicago with his young family, quiclkly got onto Twitter to congratulate his succession.

Donald said:  “Congratulations, Rory.  Enjoy the view”.

However while McIlroy became the second youngest player to go to Number One he was given a reminder of the game’s longest-ever serving Number One, Tiger Woods who produced his lowest ever final round score on the final day of a PGA Tour event.

Woods stormed through the field with a last round eight under par 62 that included two eagles, one a mighty blow over water at the last to some 10 feet from where the new World No. 16 drained the putt.

Fellow American Tom Gillis then birdied the last to share second place with Woods on 10-under par and also record his best ever finish on the PGA Tour.