Donald wants tour to tweak format

Golf:Luke Donald has urged the European Tour to consider recalibrating the money-list to avoid the sense of anti-climax that will be apparent at this week's season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai. Rory McIlroy guaranteed he would end the year in top spot on the European money-list nine days ago and in doing so, the 23-year-old took much of the gloss off the showcase event in Dubai.

Donald, up to second in the world rankings after his wire-to-wire victory in last week's Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Japan, believes officials need to find a way to ensure there is a blockbuster finish to the season. "This week is a little bit more of an anti-climax than the European Tour would probably want," he explained.

"The tour may want to think about adding a scenario where that doesn't happen and incorporate either a play-off system or some other way to make sure that it goes down to the wire. I think that would make it more exciting."

Donald no doubt had in mind the way the US PGA Tour recalibrate their money-list ahead of the FedExCup to ensure that everything is up for grabs in their season-ending playoff series. Twelve months ago, Donald finished third in Dubai to become the first player to win the order of merits on both sides of the Atlantic.

"I remember last year I felt like I had a target on my back, that was quite a lot of pressure on my shoulders and I think it reflected within the tournament," the 34-year-old said. "It had more story lines and certainly it's something the European Tour should at least consider."

Donald hailed US PGA champion McIlroy's achievement in matching his double money-list triumph in 2012. "There is no doubt in my mind he's had the best year of anyone," the Englishman said. "A lot of people said that winning both money titles wouldn't happen again for a long time and it only took Rory a few months to pull it off.

"It takes a lot to do that. It's very hard when you play both tours because you spread yourself quite thin. You have to play well in the right events and Rory has done that. What he's done is an amazing achievement and hats off to him."

Not surprisingly, McIlroy is quite happy with a system that allows him to wrap up the “Race to Dubai” two weeks before the finish. He said he felt “a little hard done by” not to take the FedEx Cup given his two victories out of the first three. “I think the format’s good — it’s a season-long race,” he commented.

The “Race to Dubai” silverware will be presented to him on Sunday and he added: “I’d like to pick up two trophies.” That would emulate Lee Westwood, who won the tournament and the money list title three years ago.

“Obviously I’m very proud and very honoured to win the ‘Race to Dubai’. I’ve had four goes at it and came close a couple of times, so it’s great to be able to do it and it’s been a phenomenal year.”