Not only can Rory McIlroy look forward to this week at the Dubai World Championship, but he will also soon be living an American dream.

At least that is according to Aussie Geoff Ogilvy, who will be battling it out with the young gun for the $1.25million winner’s cheque at Jumeirah Golf Estates, starting tomorrow.

Having won the World Matchplay Championship back in February Ogilvy was the early pacesetter in the Race to Dubai.

But since then, man-of-the-moment McIlroy has swept past him and leads the rebranded Order of Merit heading into the sprint finish.

And even though Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Ross Fisher also stand a good chance of claiming the $1.5 million bonus cheque for ending the season as Europe’s best, there’s only one man Ogilvy is tipping to cross the winning post first.

“He’s (McIlroy) an amazing talent, he’s played well every week,” the world No.14 told 7DAYS last night.

“I played with him in Shanghai (at the HSBC Champions) and he shot an incredible 63, last week (in Hong Kong) he played great as well.

“So on form I’d have to go with Rory.”

But as if that wasn’t good enough, Ogilvy predicts even more rewards for the wonderkid next year.

Last week McIlroy announced he was going to play on the US PGA Tour as well as in the Race to Dubai next season. And while some feel that’s too much of a workload for a 20-year-old, globetrotting golfer Ogilvy has backed McIlroy to not only cope with the new schedule, but to cross the pond and win.

“Rory has got his head on pretty straight, he’s a pretty mature 20-year-old. He’s made a pretty sound decision, he knows what he’s doing,” Ogilvy added.

“He’s told me his basic schedule next year and it’s achievable - it won’t drag too much on him. “He hits it long, putts great and has a lot of belief.

“It’s very hard to win on the US Tour, it’s a hard Tour to win on but I don’t see any reason why he cannot win there next year.

“He’ll contend most weeks he plays.”

Ogilvy lies sixth in the Race heading into the Dubai World Championship, but will be looking to cash in with fifth-placed Paul Casey absent through injury. And although he freely admits he has not had the best season, since winning the World Matchplay title, he’s not ruling out finishing in the top three with a victory on the Earth course.

“I am definitely hitting the ball well enough – you just have to roll the putts in,” he added. “I feel I’ve got a handle on why all the putts aren’t going in.
“Golf at the end of the day is about short game and putting so if I can get a few in then who knows.”