The Open / Ralph Ellis / 30 January 2009 /

The Irish teenager has been threatening to gatecrash the limelight for a while and, with a superb first round at the Dubai Desert Classic, his time may have come. Ralph Ellis puts it down to romance...

You'd like to think that all professional sportsmen would love their sport. Sadly it isn't always the case.

I've met plenty of footballers who wouldn't open the curtains to watch a game they weren't involved in if it was happening in the park across the road. So when you do meet players who are still fans it's refreshing. And you know what? The ones who do have a romance with the game tend to do better and stay around longer.

Step forward Rory McIlroy, the latest teenage golf prodigy to emerge on the scene. He grabbed all the headlines this morning by shooting 64 to take the lead on the first day of the Dubai Desert Classic. The 19-year-old from Holywood in Northern Ireland has been pushing towards the limelight lately with three top five finishes in his last five events, and yesterday took centre stage.

But it's not only his golf that marks him out. Off the course he's already winning friends with a natural, relaxed personality - and his love and knowledge of the game. As a boy he collected signed golf balls, following the stars at big events and chasing autographs. And his collection includes Ryder Cup captains past and present like Nick Faldo, Sam Torrance and Colin Montgomerie. They are proudly on show back at his home - but you wonder how long it will be before they are replaced with trophies of his own.

The collection includes one from Mark O'Meara, gained ten years ago when the American was reigning Masters and Open champion. O'Meara might not have attached too much significance to the kid who chased him up a fairway then, but he is in no doubt of his potential now.

He tells this morning's papers: "Rory is better than Tiger Woods at the same age and I think he has the potential to become Europe's greatest ever golfer.

"In terms of ball-striking and technique Rory is ahead of Tiger when he was 19. Tiger developed his swing and made modifications to control his distance, but Rory is already doing that, so he is a clear step ahead. Granted the word is out and people are expecting a lot of him, but there's no reason why he can't win a lot of major championships. He's got it."

That's special praise coming from the man who took a young Woods under his wing and helped him develop. And with Tiger returning to the circuit soon it's an interesting insight that the world number one will find another generation waiting to challenge him.

Woods was 22 when he won the Masters in his first full season as a professional, and is already [3.75] favourite to announce his return by collecting the first major in which he'll compete. That will be a big ask - and at the moment the [36.0] on offer for McIlroy to prove how far ahead of Tiger's career track he has moved is tempting. Certainly if he carries on playing like he did on the first day in Dubai that price will plunge.

Five things you might not know about Rory McIlroy

1. He went to Sullivan Upper School where former Snow Patrol bass player Mark McClelland was the most famous ex-pupil

2. When he was two he drove a ball 40 yards on the fairway of the local club - and as a 16-year-old he shot a course record 61 at Royal Portrush Golf Club

3. He turned down a personal invitation from Tiger Woods to play in the Target World Championship because he wanted to compete in the European Open

4. He reached a million euros in prize money in November in his 33rd event - it took Darren Clarke 105 events to pass the same milestone

5. Last year he started using a computer system designed to analyse his performances, and broke into the world's top 50 in time to qualify for The Masters

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