I need another million - McIlroy

Rory McIlroy reckons he needs to bank another MILLION euro to clinch the inaugural Race to Dubai.

The Holywood star, 20, is determined to become the youngest European No 1 in history and he's set his sights on grabbing the €500,000 top prize in this week's Portugal Masters.

With nearest rivals Martin Kaymer and Paul Casey still out injured, McIlroy said: “I have got to keep my foot on the pedal and keep going. I’ve got just over €2m euro now but I think I’ll need at least €3m to have a chance to win.

"Hopefully this week I can open up a gap on Martin and Paul and the guys behind me. When you see your name at the top of that list you know you’ve had a great year and that all the hard work has paid off.

“But there is plenty of golf yet to go and someone could come up from 10th or 15th in the rankings and overtake me."

Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher could overtake McIlroy with a victory in Vilamoura and 21st ranked Padraig Harrington is not giving up the chase either.

Trailing McIlroy by €1.13m, Harrington knows he may need to win two of his last four events.

He said: “It’s a long shot. I have to have a spectacular finish to the year and hope that other guys don’t. But it’s keeping me motivated.”

Darren Clarke (66th) and Paul McGinley (107th) are outside the top 60 who will qualify for the season-ending Dubai World Championship.

But McGinley is determined to beat a painful hand injury and grab a fistful of dollars as the Race to Dubai enters the home straight.

Frustrated to hurt himself through TOO MUCH practice, he said: “It’s typical, I play like a donkey all year with no injuries. Then I come into a bit for form and this happens.”

Meanwhile, Thomas Bjorn will step down as Chairman of the Tournament Players Committee following tonight’s crucial meeting on European Tour membership.

But after speaking with the Dane, Harrington insisted that the decision had not been prompted by their recent spat.

Harrington said: "I think Thomas is stepping down as chairman because of the stress of trying to play golf and be chairman. I think its timing is a bit of a coincidence rather than anything else.

“I didn't see any of his comments because I don't read the press but I saw with him today and I told him he'd been a friend for 14 years and he would continue to be a good friend.

“Obviously I was told there was something said about me in a personal sense but you know Thomas, we all do. He's trying to get another point of view across there and, at the end of the day, he didn't mean it in that sense. At the end of the day, Thomas and I are good. There will be no issue between him and me.”