RORY McILROY RECKONS HE WILL BE

MAJOR TITLE CONTENDER WITHIN

FIVE TO TEN YEARS

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH GOLF WEBSITE:

Rory McIlroy is embarking on his first full season on the European Tour, but insists he will be in contention to win a major championship in "five to 10 years".
The 18-year-old from Belfast is on the verge of breaking into the world's top 200 following his joint 11th at last week's Abu Dhabi championship.

The former European amateur champion's impressive start to his career has even seen his name mentioned as an outside candidate for a Ryder Cup berth later this year at Valhalla in Kentucky.
"The Ryder Cup is not my ultimate goal," McIlroy said. "I want to be a major contender in five or 10 years and try to win majors, and if I can do that I will achieve my main goal. If you are doing that you are going to make Ryder Cup teams."
McIlroy rose to fame after shooting the only bogey-free round on the first day of the 2007 Open at Carnoustie, a 68 leaving the then amateur tied for third.
After comfortably making the cut, McIlroy finished in a tie for 42nd at five under to win the silver medal for leading amateur. Later that year he made a spectacular start to his professional career after finishing third at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October. He finished 95th on the 2007 Order of Merit after securing his card for 2008 with a share of fourth at the Madrid Open.
While McIlroy has high aims, he is cautious about pushing himself too far as he looks to establish himself.
"This year I want to get into the world's top 100 and get into the US PGA Championship and I think at this stage that is a good goal for me," he said. "It would be also nice to get into the Volvo Masters at the end of the year; they are achievable goals I think."
McIlroy is turning his attentions to this week's Qatar Masters on a course which is "right up my street."
"I am very confident ahead of Qatar," he said. "If I can play the way I played in Abu Dhabi and hole a few more putts I will be right up there."