Rory McIlroy has had eight spells as golf number one in the world

Rory McIlroy has overtaken Nick Faldo as the British golfer who spent the most weeks as number one.

McIlroy has now spent a total of 98 weeks at the top of more than eight spells, a week longer than six-fold big winner Faldo.

The Northern Irish, 30, is third on the general list behind Greg Norman in Australia and Tiger Woods in the US.

Norman was 331 weeks world number one, while 15-times-tall winner Woods spent a mammoth 683 weeks at the top.

After finishing fifth in the weekend's WGC-Mexico championship, McIlroy is guaranteed to be world number one for at least another week, just ahead of Jon Rahm and the American Brooks Koepka in the rankings.

Four-fold big winner McIlroy returned to the top of the rankings after almost five years earlier this month.

McIlroy & # 39; s longest piece came as number one in August 2014, when he spent 54 weeks as & # 39; the world's leading golfer.