Rory payday with Woods could cost him Race to Dubai glory with Hanson closing in

By GRAHAM OTWAY FOR MAILONLINE

Published: 18:00 EDT, 28 October 2012 | Updated: 18:00 EDT, 28 October 2012

Rory McIlroy will pocket a $2million cheque just for playing an 18-hole exhibition match at Zhengzhou in central China with his rival at the top of the world rankings, Tiger Woods.

However, while it will boost his army of worldwide  fans, it could turn out to be a very short-term gain for the Ulsterman’s kudos and bank balance.

For in choosing to play with the American, McIlroy has opted out of the big-money HSBC Champions WGC which starts in southern China on Thursday.

Second best: Rory McIlroy lost out in the final round of the BMW Maasters in Shanghai

As the 23-year-old jets off to Bulgaria later in the week to watch his tennis-star girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki playing in the last WTA event of the year, a severe blow could be dealt to McIlroy’s one remaining ambition of an amazing year.

He wants to win both Europe’s Race to Dubai money list and top the US Tour’s earnings table to sit alongside his brilliant eight-shot major victory in the US PGA Championship in August.

But while he sits watching tennis in Sofia, his new main rival in the Race to Dubai, Swede Peter Hanson, will be in action at Mission Hills.

Swede dreams: Peter Hanson (left) took the glory in China after holding off the world No 1

Furthermore, after producing a tension-packed one-shot victory over McIlroy to pocket a £721,000 winner’s cheque at the BMW Masters in Shanghai, Hanson believes he is capable of producing one of the golfing upsets of the season.

‘I am playing some of my best golf ever,’ said Hanson. ‘I am just living the dream, having gone out there and beaten Rory playing in the last group. Now I am second in the Race to Dubai and have a chance of winning it.

Nice work if you can get it: Tiger Woods is set to take on McIlroy in an exhibition match at Zhengzhou

‘Obviously, I will need a good week at the HSBC but I have the chance and will sit down with my management and discuss adding the Singapore Open the following week to my schedule.’

Banking his runners-up cheque for £481,702, McIlroy actually increased his Race to Dubai lead to £660,288. But he now only plans to play two more events — the Hong Kong Open and the Dubai WGC, while Hanson is considering playing four tournaments with total prize-money of around £18m up for grabs.