McIlroy confident as he enters professional ranks

You don't take the plunge into shark-infested waters unless you're adequately prepared and possess self-confidence. On both fronts, Rory McIlroy, at the ripe old age of 18, believes he has what it takes to succeed as a professional.

And though he won't officially join the paid ranks until next Monday, three days prior to making his professional debut in the British Masters at The Belfry, the reality is that the first steps in his new career commence with today's visit to the first stage of qualifying for the 2008 PGA European Tour, when McIlroy competes at The Oxfordshire in England.

McIlroy, indeed, is one of 17 aspiring tour professionals who are competing in Stage One of European Tour school qualifying this week. But he is, unquestionably, the most high-profile.

"I can't wait," he said. "Hopefully I can go to The Oxfordshire, do what I have to do, finish in the top 30 and then won't have to worry about tour school until November," he said.

Next week, McIlroy will confirm his move to professional life at the Quinn Direct British Masters.

It is a tournament promoted by Chubby Chandler's ISM group, a stable that includes Ernie Els, Darren Clarke, David Howell, Lee Westwood and Paul McGinley. McIlroy is becoming the group's latest addition.

The reason for waiting a week after the Walker Cup to turn professional?

"I think everyone knows at this stage that I am going with Chubby and the British Masters is Chubby's tournament. There'll just be more hype about going professional next week," conceded McIlroy, who has lined up five sponsors' invites for the remainder of the European Tour season.

Apart from the invite to play in the British Masters, McIlroy has also secured places in the fields for the Alfred Dunhill Links, the Madrid Open, the Portuguese Masters and the Mallorca Classic.

If he manages to earn enough prize money from those five tournaments to break into the top 115 on the European Tour Order of Merit, he won't need to attend the next phases of tour school qualifying.

"I've had a great amateur career and hopefully I can move on and achieve even bigger and better things in my professional career. I don't think there is any great difference any more in making the step to the professional game," said McIlroy, whose amateur swansong came in Britain and Ireland's narrow one-point defeat to the United States in the Walker Cup at Royal Co Down on Sunday.

He added: "I believe the gap has been closed from high-level amateur to professional. There is not much of a difference, especially from what I've seen when I played at the Open. It is just the experience and knowing what a good score is on the day and coping with conditions and stuff. I've got five European Tour events to make an impact.

"If I play well in those, I can get my card. Or I can use tour school. So I have got both options."

One way or another, McIlroy has decided to concentrate on the European Tour as his home tour and isn't tempted to attempt to qualify for a US Tour card: "No, I won't go for that . . . but, hopefully, when I get into the top 50 in the (official) world rankings, I can take up my US Tour membership. That's the way I want to do it. As far as I see it, the most important thing for me to do is to get my tour card to get somewhere to play next year. If I can do that, I will be very happy."

While McIlroy's presence at the first stage of qualifying school at The Oxfordshire - where players play four rounds, the cut coming after three rounds with around 30 places available for Q-School II in November up for grabs - will provide the main focus of attention, two other Irish players, Damian Mooney and Eamonn Brady, will also be competing at the same venue this week.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 12 Irishmen - Chris Devlin, Michael McGeady, Brendan McGovern, David Mortimer, Mark Murphy, Mervyn Owens, Glen Robinson, Mark Staunton, Michael Collins, Ted Higgins, David Jones and John Kelly - will be pursuing their own dreams in stage one at Chart Hills, outside London, while Mark Campbell and Michael McDermott will be competing at Fleesensee in Germany.

The field at the Mercedes Championship on the European Tour this week is limited to 78 players, with no cut.

Darren Clarke has been given a sponsor's invite into the €2-million tournament, where the Irish presence is completed by Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell.

Colm Moriarty's quest for a full tour card next year continues with his appearance in the Oki Challenge in Spain this week, where he is joined by Michael Hoey, Gareth Maybin and Stephen Browne.

Moriarty has missed the cut in his last two tournaments and has slipped to 26th in the latest Challenge Tour rankings. The top 20 at the end of the season win full playing rights on the European Tour for 2008.