Rory McIlroy will add another £629,000 to his millions the moment he tees off in Dubai tomorrow but it is not money that is driving the 23-year-old on in his already glittering career.
"Winning, trying to be the best player that I can be, trying to win majors; that's the real goal for me," said the world No.1.
The six-figure cheque will be his once he starts the DP World Tour Championship as the end-of-season bonus for topping the European Tour money list. He clinched that two weeks ago, adding it to the PGA Tour No.1 spot he had in the bag without playing any of the last four events. That is how dominant he has been this year.
Luke Donald achieved the same double last season, but had to go to the last day in each race to do so. McIlroy has done it at a canter.
With a second major win also now on his resume, the Northern Irishman is such a force in the game – in all sport, come to that – that Nike are thought to be prepared to spend more than £150m to have him use their clubs. For his final event of 2012, McIlroy is still using Titleist, but he added: "This is the last week that I will."
Nick Faldo has warned of the dangers of switching, but the reigning US PGA champion is not worried. "I feel comfortable going into next season. I think all of the manufacturers make great equipment nowadays and it's all very, very similar. I don't think it will make a difference at all."
With that mindset he sees no need to lower his sights for next year. The four majors are the top targets inevitably and he stated: "I got one in 2011, I backed it up this year with another and I'd love to say 2013 will be similar."
The ultimate for further down the road if all goes well, of course, would be Jack Nicklaus' 18 majors, or whatever mark Tiger Woods gets to. On that he stated: "I've always said I'm never going to put a number on it. I don't want to do that. I just want to get my third and, when I get my third, I want to try for a fourth. Obviously, I'm halfway to the career Grand Slam, so that's the next goal for me."
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