European Tour News round-up:No matter which way you look at it, the boxes are being ticked with incredible speed. Rory McIlroy's seamless move from top dog as an amateur to that of a tour pro with star quality has enabled the phenomenally talented teenager to raise the bar higher for next year than anyone - except, perhaps, himself - ever could have envisaged.

After just two appearances as a professional, the prodigious 18-year-old from Holywood in Co Down can map out a schedule for 2008 that, even now, could include a Ryder Cup appearance in Valhalla, Kentucky.

If he were to make the European team for the defence of the trophy, he would become the youngest player in the history of the competition. Sergio Garcia was 19 years and eight months when he played at Brookline in 1999. McIlroy would be four months younger, come next year's match.

Sure, these are very early days in Europe's qualifying race. But McIlroy - who finished tied-42nd in the British Masters and alone in third in the Dunhill Links - has catapulted to eighth in Europe's rankings.

"I've told Rory he has rewritten what was being mapped out for him. I can't see him playing in anything that does not carry Ryder Cup points," opined his manager, Chubby Chandler.

McIlroy, who had already been given an invitation into the Madrid Open this week, though his finish in the Dunhill earned him an automatic place, moved from 264th in the European Tour order of merit prior to the Dunhill to 106th, guaranteeing a full tour card for next season.

One thing is for sure, McIlroy, who had come through Stage One of qualifying - won't now need to attend Q-School in November and can look forward to a full schedule on tour for the next three weeks.

The Ulsterman also has invitations to next week's Portuguese Masters and the Mallorca Open in a fortnight to copper-fasten his position on the money list, although he would need to win in excess of a further €300,000 to gatecrash his way into the top 60 and, with it, earn a place in the season-ending Volvo Masters at Valderrama.

Whatever happens in the coming weeks, McIlroy's dynamic start to his professional career backs up all the hype prior to his switch from being one of the world's leading amateurs to the paid ranks.

In the aftermath of winning the silver medal as leading amateur at the British Open in Carnoustie, Padraig Harrington described him as "the real deal", while Darren Clarke - who, remarkably, is now 23 places behind McIlroy on the European Tour money list despite playing 17 more tournaments - has always championed his fellow-Northern Irishman since linking up with him at one of his Darren Clarke Foundation master class weekends.

McIlroy has discovered professional golf is a numbers game, shooting low numbers to earn high rewards. Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie, who played with McIlroy on his professional debut at The Belfry three weeks ago, observed, "There's nothing he can't do, he is going to be a hell of a player."

Admitting to being "ecstatic" at achieving his aim of a full tour card so quickly in his career, McIlroy, with his feet firmly on the ground, said: "I'm just trying to take it all in my stride at the minute, and I'm just happy with where I am with my game. Hopefully it is a huge step (finishing third in the Dunhill) for bigger and better things.

"I'm not surprised at making the transition from amateur to professional. I think it is because I played so many events as an amateur in professional tournaments, and I think I fitted in really well. I know most of the guys out on tour anyway. If I can keep going the way I am, there's a lot of good things out on tour for me."

In securing his tour card for 2008 on the back of just two appearances on tour as a professional, McIlroy has achieved that particular ambition from affiliate membership at record speed. The upshot, though, is it has also propelled him into early contention for a Ryder Cup place: he is ranked eighth on the European points list and 10th off the world rankings points.

McIlroy's impressive start to his professional life has also seen him move to 308th in the latest world rankings, just behind experienced tour players Peter Lawrie (299th) and Damien McGrane (300th). McIlroy is sandwiched between Australian Craig Parry (307th) and American Michael Putnam (309th).

Lawrie has not played since the European Masters due to family commitments, but returns to action in this week's Madrid Open at Club de Campo. It starts an important run of tournaments for the Dubliner, in his quest to make the field for the Volvo Masters. Lawrie is 77th on the money list, with entry to Valderrama confined to the top 60.

Graeme McDowell and McGrane are also in the field in Madrid, but Paul McGinley has decided to miss out and will return to duty at next week's Portuguese Masters.

Meanwhile, Colm Moriarty heads the Irish challenge in the European Challenge in Germany this week, where Michael Hoey, Gareth Maybin, Richard Kilpatrick and Stephen Browne are also competing.