McIllroy sets Double Target in first full tour season

Rising Irish star Rory McIlroy is hoping this week’s Dubai Desert Classic can help propel him towards the double target he has set for himself in his first full season on the PGA European Tour.

McIlroy, for whom Dubai has become a second home after the signing of a three-year sponsorship agreement with the Jumeirah Group, the fast growing Dubai-based luxury hospitality management company, is aiming to score his first Tour victory in 2008 and climb into the world’s top 100 to earn a place in this year’s US PGA Championship.

"I want to get my first Tour win under my belt this year," said the exciting 18-year old prospect as he prepared for his third Desert Classic appearance following two previous outings at the Emirates Golf Club while still an amateur.

"If I can do that I’ll be able to kick on in my career, and I’d love to get the monkey off my back in my first year as a pro’. My other aim this year is to make the world’s top 100 and get into the US PGA Championship. I’m currently lying in 190th place in the world rankings so I have a lot of work to do, but I think it’s achievable."

Added McIlroy: "This year is really a learning curve for me, and my plan is not to look too far ahead and set long-terms goals, but just take each year one at a time."

McIlroy, who partnered Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood in today’s Challenge match at the Emirates Golf Club, says he is capitalising fully on his relationship with the Jumeirah Group.

This has reinforced his links with Dubai where he enjoys the world-class playing and practice facilities, and the chance to take vital breaks from golf to relax.

"Dubai’s a fantastic place to visit, and the golf facilities are as good as you’ll find anywhere," he said. "I had a nice week’s practice here before playing in Abu Dhabi, and I always feel at home here, especially as I’ve become such good friends with the team at Jumeirah who really look after me.

"I love taking breaks in Dubai and see myself spending a lot of time here in the future because it’s such a long season now and it’s important to stay as fresh as possible.

I absolutely love the Emirates course. It’s one of my favourites on the Tour. I feel comfortable here because it suits my game, and I have some good memories of the Desert Classic so I’m hoping to do well this week."

After rising to the top of the world amateur rankings, McIlroy turned professional on the eve of the Quinn Direct British Masters last September and signed up with Jumeirah the same week. Just a fortnight later he scored a superb third place finish in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship to gain his full playing rights on the 2008 European Tour.

As McIlroy now contemplates expanding his golfing horizons, Jumeirah is already branching out in a major way around the world, and the young Irishman can expect to have many additional opportunities to enjoy his sponsors’ hospitality on his golfing travels.

Known best for its flagship Burj Al Arab, one of six Dubai properties, Jumeirah also operates two hotels in London; the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel, as well as the Jumeirah Essex House in New York. The Group is growing its portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts worldwide to 57 by 2011. New projects are currently under development in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Aqaba, Doha, Phuket, Shanghai, Bermuda, Mallorca and London.

Said McIlroy: "Shanghai is on my schedule this year for the BMW Asian Open in April, and it’s nice to know that I’ll soon have friends to stay with there, and at quite a few other tournaments in the future."

Apo Demirtas, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of Jumeirah Group, said: "Just like Rory in his career, we’re breaking new frontiers and we’re very pleased to be partnering such an exciting and talented young golfer who is a wonderful ambassador for the Jumeirah brand."

Jumeirah properties are regarded as among the most luxurious and innovative in the world and have won numerous international travel and tourism awards. The fast growing Dubai based luxury international hospitality management group encompasses the world renowned Burj Al Arab, the world’s most luxurious hotel, the multi-award winning Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Madinat Jumeirah and Jumeirah Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai, the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel in London and the Jumeirah Essex House on Central Park South in New York.

The group’s activities are however, not restricted to hotel and resort management. The Jumeirah Group portfolio also includes Wild Wadi, regarded as one of the premier water parks outside of North America and The Emirates Academy, the region’s only third level academic institution specializing in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Building on this success, Jumeirah Group became a member of Dubai Holding in 2004, a collection of leading Dubai based businesses and projects, in a step that aims to initiate a new phase of growth and development for the group.

Jumeirah’s ambitious expansion plans to grow its portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts worldwide to 57 by 2011 are well underway with projects currently under development in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Aqaba, Doha, Phuket, Shanghai, Bermuda, Mallorca and London.

www.jumeirah.com

- Tony Lewis, Total Communications Dubai - also photos