McIlroy aiming for top spot as Woods targets 20 majors

McIlroy closed the gap to Woods slightly by finishing second in the Valero Texas Open on Sunday, carding a closing 66 in San Antonio to finish two shots behind Scotland’s Martin Laird.

The 23-year-old can reclaim the top spot he lost last month by claiming his first green jacket at Augusta National, scene of his final-round meltdown in 2011 when he led by four shots before collapsing to a closing 80.

The Northern Irishman has to finish inside the top three to have any chance of passing Woods, who has won three times already this season and who is seeking a fifth Masters title.

Woods has not won a major since the US Open in 2008, with injury problems and a sex scandal which cost him his marriage to Swede Elin Nordegren prompting many to write off his chances of overhauling the 18 major titles of Jack Nicklaus.

Unsurprisingly, Woods does not share those views, with his close friend Notah Begay telling Sports Illustrated the 14-time major winner wants to win at least six more.

“He is focused on 20,” said Begay. “That may be a little hard to believe given what’s transpired in the last three years, but that’s where his focus is. He thinks he is capable of winning 20 majors.”

For his part, McIlroy has two major championships under his belt, winning the 2011 US Open and 2012 US PGA Championship by eight shots, and stated last week he would not care if he missed 10 cuts in a row as long as he won a major every year.

His performance in Texas suggests he is finding form at the right time after a poor start to the season.

One of his main rivals is likely to be defending champion Bubba Watson, who is determined not to be a one-major wonder.

Watson claimed his first major at Augusta National 12 months ago, beating South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen on the second hole of a play-off thanks to a brilliant escape from the trees.

But the big-hitting left-hander from Bagdad, Florida, does not want that triumph to be a flash in the pan and was quick to seek out advice from fellow players in a similar situation.

“I sought out Graeme McDowell, (Rory) McIlroy, asked Tiger (Woods), asked some big-name players that have won (like) Charl Schwartzel,” said Watson. “I asked ‘how do you deal with it?’ It helped me, too, that I had my child; we had adopted our son Caleb so I spent a few months with him.

“I missed my first two cuts after my long lay-off, but then I finished second again right after that.”

Former Open champion Darren Clarke has been forced to withdraw through injury.

Clarke pulled a hamstring more than a week ago while on holiday and will miss the season’s first major championship.

n Catterick’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff finished ninth in the first women’s major of 2013, the Kraft Nabisco Championship in California.

The Florida resident began with a 68 and had a share of the first-round lead, but after fading, she stormed back into the top 10 with a closing 69.

n Yorkshire thrashed Lincolnshire 17-1 in their opening warm-up game for the new Northern Counties Championship season.

The 12-man team lost only one morning foursomes match in a completely one-sided performance at Scarborough South Cliff on Saturday.