Rory McIlroy keen to stay world No 1 at Deutsche Bank Championship

Rory McIlroy is confident of winning more tournaments this year and retaining his newly-reclaimed world No 1 status, starting at this week's Deutsche Bank Championship.

The Northern Irishman returned to top spot last week, despite not playing, as the man who recently replaced him, Masters and US Open winner Jordan Spieth, missed the cut at The Barclays.

But McIlroy, who won two majors last year, knows Spieth and US PGA Championship winner Jason Day are right behind him heading into this week's Deutsche Bank Open in Boston.

"I feel I am holding this ranking based on what I did last year," McIlroy told a pre-tournament press conference. "But hopefully I can get another couple of wins before the end of the year and I feel I am playing well enough to do that."

Day is now the game's form player having followed up his PGA Championship victory with a convincing six-shot win at the Barclays, the first event of the FedEx Cup play-off series.

Any of the three could be world No 1 by the end of the week's events in Boston, with McIlroy believing the competition will force higher standards from the trio. 

"I feel we are pretty close," the 26-year-old said. "I feel the level I played at last year, they saw that and attained that.

"It is about trying to set that bar a bit higher each year. That is probably what we will see over the next few years if guys keep pushing each other."

Live PGA Tour Golf

The world No 1 has been grouped alongside Hideki Matsuyama and Kevin Kisner with live coverage of the opening round available as part of the featured group coverage on the Sky Sports iPad app. 

McIlroy is still easing himself back into action after the ankle ligament injury suffered playing football with friends in the summer, but feels confident with his game heading in to the closing stretch of the PGA Tour season. 

"I am feeling good, he added. "I had a couple of weeks off after the PGA Championship, just taking it nice and slowly and being patient with it. But I am excited to be back and feel my game is in good shape."

Watch the Deutsche Bank Championship throughout the week live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf