Irish Golf Desk

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McIlroy shows height of his ambition

Rory McIlroy is hungry for even more success despite his incredible start to 2009.

The Ulsterman, 19,  broke through to win the Dubai Desert Classic in March and finished in the top 20 in event in his last five starts.

Rory McIlroy is highly ambitious.Yet he is still looking for more and insists he is not 100 percent happy with they way he has played on his latest trip to the US.

"It's been fantastic. I've had five starts and five top 20s,'' said McIlroy, who is ten shots off the pace in the Verizon Heritage at Hilton Head. "It's been really good, really consistent. I probably haven't played quite the way I like at Houston and the Masters. But I've got one more week over here to try to get myself right."

Safely through to the weekend at Harbour Town after rounds of 72 and 71, McIlroy is enjoying the PGA Tour though he has turned down the chance to join as a Special Temporary Member this season.

"Everyone said if I did come and play I'd have fun because they said it's one of the best events on tour, great golf course, great area," he said in South Carolina this week. "It's not a week when you can putt yourself out of trouble. You have to hit it good and that's one of my strengths.''

McIlroy was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated heading into his first Masters and insists he is less interested in being an occasional rival to Tiger Woods than a contemporary of the world's top-ranked player.

"A big goal of mine is to get into the top 10,'' said McIroy. "And then once I'm there try to win more tournaments and try to compete in majors and see how that goes. You've got a lot of young guys coming through and it would be great if some of us could step up and try to challenge some of the top guys over the next couple of years.''