McIlroy aiming for top spot in desert shootout

THE vast wealth of a Dubai company called DP World and their willingness to pour a major share of their riches into this week’s Dubai World Championship means Rory McIlroy could still emerge as Europe’s number one golfer.

In spite of his spectacular victory in Hong Kong at the weekend, it still seems like a tall order, given that the brilliant 22-year-old must bridge a whopping gap of €789,788 to overhaul Luke Donald at the head of the European Tour’s order of merit when the decider takes place over the Greg Norman-designed Earth Course at the Jumeirah complex on Thursday.

Donald’s outstanding form throughout the season has been admirable and sees him ideally poised to become the first ever player to lead the money lists in the USA and Europe in the same year. And yet, he could still be caught should McIlroy win in Dubai and Donald finishes outside the leading 10 players in the elite 59-strong field.