Golf star McIlroy and tennis star Wozniacki engaged

WASHINGTON: Two-time major golf champion Rory McIlroy and former women´s tennis world number one Caroline Wozniacki announced their engagement Wednesday in postings on Twitter.

McIlroy, the 24-year-old former world number one from Northern Ireland, posted pictures of himself and Wozniacki and a diamond ring on a woman´s left ring finger.

"Happy New Year everyone! I have a feeling it´s going to be a great year!! My first victory of 2014 # she said yes!!"

On her Twitter page, Wozniacki posted the same pictures with the caption "Happy New Year everyone! Rory and I started 2014 with a bang! ... I said YES!!!!"

Wozniacki, 23, withdrew from a WTA event in Brisbane last weekend due to a shoulder injury but the Dane was looking forward to playing at Sydney in a tuneup event for the Australian Open.

McIlroy captured his first major title at the 2011 US Open and added another at the 2012 PGA Championship.

Wozniacki still seeks her first Grand Slam title, her deepest run in a major event being to the 2009 US Open final.

The romance has endured through a whirlwind year with rumors they were engaged a year ago, then speculation they had broken up in 2013.

And both players struggled through a difficult 2013 season. McIlroy endured a winless US PGA season, his best showing a runner-up effort at the Texas Open last April just ahead of the Masters.

His best major showing was a share of eighth in defending the PGA Championship title.The frustrating campaign brought critics, who questioned McIlroy´s decision to switch to new equipment in 2013.

Competition figures to pull the couple apart in January with Wozniacki bound for the Australian Open in Melbourne and McIlroy planning to play at Abu Dhabi and Dubai in late January. (AFP)