Rory McIlroy, considered to be the hottest young property in golf and currently ranked 17th in the world, will not join the PGA Tour in the United States next year.

The 20-year-old Northern Irishman admitted he had turned down a special invitation earlier in the year to play on the PGA Tour, the premier proving ground for professional golfers. Now he has decided to keep his focus on Europe in 2010, with the Ryder Cup to come at Celtic Manor in a little under a year.

This nails the rumours that McIlroy would join the PGA Tour as soon as next month and before the start of the European Tour’s end of season bonanza, the Dubai World Championship. It represents something of a coup for the European Tour as it struggles with the economic recession and a declining interest in golf. To have one of the game's biggest drawcards playing wholeheartedly on its tour in 2010 is some of the best news it has received for some time.

Sources indicate that McIlroy was influenced by the advice of Andrew "Chubby" Chandler, his manager, who felt that at 20 he was still a little young to be committing himself to the debilitating cross-Atlantic jaunts that such membership would require. It is understood Chandler thought that another year as a member of the European Tour would serve his prodigy better.

“Rory has decided not to join the PGA Tour in 2010,” Chandler said in an e-mail to SportsBusiness Journal in the US. He did not provide any further explanation.

McIlroy is second in the Race to Dubai, the Europe money list. He played in six PGA Tour events in 2009, including all four major championships and his results were impressive. His worst finish was 47th in the Open. He was 20th in the Masters, 10th at the US Open and tied for third with Lee Westwood in the US PGA Championship.

Finishes as high as these have qualified him to play in all four major championships and World Golf Championship events in 2010, and he is expected to receive sponsor exemptions to play in up to seven more events on the PGA Tour.