McIlroy draws on 2009 heartache as he focuses on duel with Donald

The European Tour moneylist title is on the line, just as it was when McIlroy faced Lee Westwood on the same Earth course at the inaugural Dubai World Championship.

Westwood won their duel by two shots and went on to a six-stroke victory, while the young Northern Irishman ended up third after admitting that he lost the psychological battle in that opening round.

“It was tough to fully concentrate on my own game when you’re looking at the player beside you,” McIlroy said yesterday. “I feel like it’s something I’ve learned, because when I go out with Luke in the last game I’ll only be trying to concentrate on myself and making sure that I can play the best I can.”

This time, McIlroy will become the circuit’s No 1 only if he wins and Donald, leading by more than £680,000, finishes outside the top nine.

It’s a battle between the world’s top two players. The added incentive for Donald is that nobody has ever topped the moneylists in both America and Europe in the same season, and one is in the bag already. He was well over £1 million clear just over a month ago, but McIlroy kept the issue alive by taking the Hong Kong Open on Sunday.

Even so, the most exciting young talent in golf has no doubt who is in the driving seat.

“I’ve got to win and Luke has to finish outside the top nine or 10,” US Open champion McIlroy said. “I’m not counting on him to do that because he’s only finished outside the top 10 about twice this year. Over the last 18 months he’s been so consistent. He’s deservedly the number one player in the world. He’s always had a great short game and always holes the putts he should.”

McIlroy admits he is drained from a long run of tournaments and a virus that sent his white blood cell count “very low”.

He is awaiting the results of tests after visiting a doctor on arrival from the Far East. “My energy levels are not exactly where I want them to be but I took a day off yesterday and took it easy,” he said.

He was back in action for yesterday afternoon’s pro-am, but added: “I’ll probably take another day off tomorrow, maybe hit a few balls. I’ll really try to conserve my energy and focus it all into the four tournament days.

“It’s the longest stretch I’ve played (it included the Dunhill Links at the end of September, three trips to Asia and one to Bermuda) and it’s something I probably won’t do again.

“I’ll think about it a bit more, but it’s something I wanted to do. I have no-one to blame but myself for wanting to play week after week.”