This lifelong goal is why Rory McIlroy continues to play on the DP World Tour

After a long season with many ups and downs, four-time winner Rory McIlroy may rest in South Florida and recover next season. Instead, the Middle East grinds to a halt. Why? Because he is playing for history.

McIlroy has won the last two Race to Dubai titles, the season-long points race to determine the DP World Tour champion. Formerly known as the Order of Merit, Rory already has five titles in his career. That puts him in elite company.

Seve Ballesteros has amassed six Orders of Merit in his illustrious career, but the all-time leader is Colin Montgomerie with eight.

But with the second-to-last event of the season starting this week, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, McIlroy has once again taken a commanding lead in the race to Dubai. If he plays well this week and at next week's DP World Tour Championship, he could match Seve's total and move within two of Monty's records.

In Tuesday's pre-tournament press conference, McIlroy admitted that this season's title will be on his mind this week.

“A little bit but if I go out and win this week, obviously you know, it makes it boring next week. But I won't find it boring; it will be good,” McIlroy told reporters. “But yeah, all I can focus on is the work I'm doing and trying to play as well as I can this week, and if I can do that, I'll give myself an even better chance.”

He went on to say, “I have had many good opportunities this year. I have converted a couple. But I let a few slip. Try to give yourself two more chances to win golf tournaments that are important to me.”

When asked directly if the chance to overtake Montgomery on the Race to Dubai all-time list is what motivates him to try harder on the DP World Tour after a difficult season across the pond, McIlroy said “not really.”

Instead, it's a different but related lifelong goal that keeps him busy after accomplishing so much: becoming Europe's top golfer.

“I'm proud – I'm a European player. I would like to go down as one of the most successful Europeans. Obviously the Race to Dubai win can count towards that but also the big tournaments and hopefully I have a few Ryder Cups ahead of me as well,” explained McIlroy. “So that's something I'd like to do, I think it's a goal I can achieve in the next ten years. I'm very proud to be from Europe and to kind of, you know, play on this tour and play on this tour every time. “

He then went on to explain this idea:

“It's something I'm proud of and I think about the European golf stars that I grew up watching, whether it was Faldo or Woosie or Langer or some kind of really successful European Tour in the 1990s, I think,” McIlroy said on Tuesday. “And yes, I remember when I got mine – I didn't even have my European Tour card. I remember when I got my first piece of money as soon as I signed up as a member and that was a really proud moment for me. That's something I've always been proud of and want to continue to do.”

McIlroy's quest for Race to Dubai victory No. 6 starts on Wednesday night.