Rory McIlroy has had a truly tough start to the year on the PGA Tour this season and after losing his number one ranking to Tiger Woods, the former top golfer in the world is looking to sharpen his game at the Valero Texas Open and he is closing on the top spot at three shots back as Saturday's action starts.
McIlroy has not been himself on the tour this year after making the change to Nike clubs and Woods has over taken him for number one after winning three times before the Masters, something he hasn't done in years. Last week in Houston he had a rough go of it again, but he has finally seemed to get his game together at the right time in the week before the Masters.
Woods and Phil Mickelson will be the favorites, but if McIlroy can win or at least keep up with leader Billy Horschel, he will finally have some momentum heading into the first major of the year. Woods could get his first since 2009 and would truly prove that he is back after years of not looking like himself.
The trip back to number one was a long road for Woods, as he lost his rank in October 2010 to Lee Westwood and then to Rory McIlroy before getting it back. He fell as low as 58th and didn't win on the tour for nearly two years, but all that is behind him now. Martin Kaymer and Luke Donald also held the number one ranking for a time. The win for Woods was his 77th on the PGA Tour and inches him closer to Sam Snead's total of 82 victories, the most all time.
McIlroy is considered the next best in many eyes to Woods on the tour and if he can get his game back he should be able to challenge next week at Augusta.