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The European Tour's lucrative Race to Dubai will help close the gap on the US PGA Tour and could tempt American players to cross the Atlantic in search of massive paydays, according to promising teenager Rory McIlroy.

The 19-year-old from Northern Ireland, who will play in next month's $5 million (£3.04m) Singapore Open, said that while the United States was still the home of the biggest tournaments, the European Tour had a lot to offer.

"I think the gap between the European Tour and the US PGA Tour is very small now," McIlroy said.

"And with the Race to Dubai and the massive prize fund that comes along with that, it'll bring a few guys from the States over here."

The European Tour's new look Race to Dubai schedule for 2009 includes some 53 tournaments taking place in 26 destinations before the $20m (£12.16m) Dubai World Championship finale in November 2009.

McIlroy, who turned professional just over a year ago, is regarded as one of the finest emerging talents in golf.

He narrowly missed out on winning the European Masters last month, losing out in a playoff to Frenchman Jean-Francois Lucquin in Switzerland.

While failing to take the title was disappointing, McIlroy said the experience would stand him in good stead for bigger tournaments down the line.

"You have to learn how to lose before you can win. Maybe it wasn't a bad thing that I didn't finish it off," he said.

"I've had more ups than downs this season. I've achieved all my goals I set for myself... and hopefully a win is just around the corner."

McIlroy, who has broken into the top 40 on the European Tour's order of merit, is relishing the opportunity of facing some of the biggest names in golf at the Asian Tour's flagship event, the Singapore Open.

Major winners Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington are in the field for the event and McIlroy said he was pleased to be sharing a stage with them.

"If I'm in the limelight I'm obviously doing good things," added McIlroy, who will be making his first visit to the Southeast Asian city-state.

"It's a great field playing and so it'll be a great opportunity for me to test myself against some of the best players in the world."

Reuters