Rory remains golf's pinnacle to peers

— -- PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Among the many qualities to like about Rory McIlroy is his ability to be confident without coming across as cocky or arrogant.

McIlroy knows he is golf's top dog at the moment, the young star to build up, but he is deferential to those chasing him, seeing a bigger picture as the sport grapples with the idea that Tiger Woods might no longer be its face.

Yet McIlroy does not waver when asked about his comfort level with being the one who stands out.

"It's what I've always wanted to do," McIlroy said. "I would be wasting my time if I was out there practicing as much as I do and putting as much into it if I didn't want to be in this position. And wasting the people's time around me as well who helped me get to this point.

"Of course I want to be that guy. I said it last year, golf is waiting for someone like that to step forward, put their hand up and win the big tournaments. ... This is the position I want to be in, and I want to be in it as long as I can."

McIlroy, 25, had a rare poor performance in blustery conditions Thursday at PGA National, where he was making his first start of 2015 on the PGA Tour at the Honda Classic. The Northern Irishman posted a 3-over 73, helped by back-to-back birdies to finish his round.

It means McIlroy will have a little work to do Friday to make the 36-hole cut, but perhaps this was inevitable given his impressive run that is nearing eight months.

Last year he won four times worldwide, including three in a row during a dominant summer that saw him capture the Open Championship, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship.

He is No. 1 in the world and entered this week's Honda Classic having finished first or second in eight of his past 12 worldwide events.

That is putting your hand up and holding it high.

"He is the best player in the world, so he has that gap right now," said Rickie Fowler, who contended at both the Open and PGA and suffered a defeat to McIlroy in singles at the Ryder Cup in September. "He's on top of his game, obviously through last year. And when he's driving the ball well, that's when he's deadliest. He did a good job of putting himself in play last year and obviously hits it longer than a lot of guys do."

That, undoubtedly, is the key to McIlroy's game. "I'm a let-fly kind of guy," he said. So when a course offers the opportunity to hit drivers and McIlroy is finding fairways, good luck to those chasing him.

Last season he averaged 310.3 yards off the tee to rank third on the PGA Tour and was sixth in greens in regulation at just under 70 percent. That is a powerful combination, and it was done despite an ordinary fairways hit percentage of just under 60 that ranked 108th.

Imagine what might happen if McIlroy improved just slightly in hitting fairways while also holing a few more putts?

The glare is expected to intensify as we move closer to the Masters, where McIlroy will be attempting to win his third straight major and complete a career Grand Slam.

Following the Honda Classic, McIlroy is scheduled to play next week's WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral and the Arnold Palmer Invitational two weeks later. It appears that will be his last tournament before the Masters, giving him five worldwide starts heading into the year's first major, with a visit to Augusta National scheduled for some time during that period.

If questions about the green jacket and the constant buildup to the Masters could be construed as a distraction, McIlroy has plenty of experience there. In May he broke off his engagement with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki on the eve of the European Tour's BMW PGA Championship -- which he went on to win.

Earlier this month, a lengthy dispute with his former management company was settled before a trial could begin. McIlroy will be paying plenty, but it nonetheless is a significant obstacle avoided.

Even here at the Honda Classic, McIlroy has endured scrutiny. Remember two years ago when he walked off the course after 27 holes, citing a toothache? He later apologized. Last year, he lost here in a playoff.

"I'm in a great position, and I feel like I handle the position I'm in a lot better than I did a couple of years ago," McIlroy said.

In fact, McIlroy relishes this stage more than ever.

"I don't feel any extra pressure to be the face of the game," he said. "I think the game's in great hands, not just with people like myself, but some of the young stars that are starting to come through. I feel like the next generation coming through can definitely keep golf where it is, and it is in very good hands."

And that is where McIlroy becomes deferential, rattling off the names of players such as Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Hideki Matsuyama, Brooks Koepka and Fowler.

But make no mistake, it is McIlroy whom they are chasing.

"He has definitely distanced himself," Fowler said. "To me and so many of the other players, he's motivating us to do better. He's huge. I feel like Phil [Mickelson] appreciates Tiger for what he has done for the sport and for what he did in motivating him to be the best he could be. And that's how I feel Rory is for us. He's pushing us to be better."