Rory McIlroy is eyeing top spot in the world rankings after winning the Tour Championship and then making a strong start to the European Masters this week.
Four-time major champion McIlroy claimed the FedEx Cup with a strong Sunday display at East Lake, moving up to number two in the rankings, behind Brooks Koepka.
The Northern Irishman, while also determined to win more majors and complete a career grand slam at the Masters, is now determined to top the points charts.
McIlroy knows unseating Koepka would prove he is the best player in the world, and he believes he can string the results together to achieve the feat.
"I feel like when I'm playing my best, I'm the best player in the world," McIlroy told Sky Sports after carding a three-under 67 in the first round at the European Masters.
"I'd like to get back there. It's been a goal of mine for a while. I haven't experienced that summit for the last four years.
"So I feel like with the work that I'm putting in and the consistent golf that I'm playing, hopefully it's only a matter of time."
McIlroy had six birdies and three bogeys on Thursday at the Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in Switzerland, a setting he considered ideal following the rigours of the Tour Championship.
"I think if I have to play a tournament this week, I wouldn't want to play anywhere else," he said. "That's the way I'd put it.
"It's a beautiful place and I'm glad I'm back after all these years. Hopefully I can play a bit of good golf over the next three days and give myself a chance."
Assessing his round, McIlroy added: "I played well on the back nine, which was our front nine. To play that nine in three under I thought was good.
"I took advantage of a couple of the shorter par-fours on the front nine but I made a couple of bogeys there as well. Overall, it was OK.
"It's so different to the golf I've been playing the past few weeks. I'm just trying to adjust and get used to these sort of greens again and how far the ball is going and what the ball is going to do out of the rough."
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