Tiger Woods is the best-known sportsman in the world and thus the hottest property in golf. But who is the hottest young property in the game? Answer: Rory McIlroy, the Northern Irishman, who is not 21 until May and is No 17 in the world rankings — and four years younger than the next youngest in the top 20.

Little wonder then that the PGA Tour in the United States was desperate for McIlroy to join its ranks in 2010. There are a number of good young players coming through in the US, but on the face of it, none is quite so precociously gifted as McIlroy. Equally, it is clear that the European Tour was just as keen that the prodigy should maintain his allegiance on this side of the Atlantic.

So it could be considered a coup for the European Tour that yesterday it was announced that McIlroy is not joining the likes of Justin Rose, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter, the Englishmen, and Martin Laird, the Scot, by becoming a member of the tour in the US.

After weeks of speculation, Andrew “Chubby” Chandler, McIlroy’s manager, settled the matter once and for all. “Rory has decided not to join the PGA Tour in 2010,” Chandler told SportsBusiness Journal in the US. He did not provide any further explanation.

Sources indicate that Chandler felt that, at 20, McIlroy was a little young to be committing himself to the debilitating transatlantic jaunts that such membership would require. Consensus is that another year committed to the European circuit would serve the Northern Irishman better.

It also has to be taken into consideration that several of McIlroy’s peers at International Sports Management, Chandler’s company, could have become members of the US tour but are not at present. Lee Westwood, who is ranked fifth in the world, and Darren Clarke, the world No 107 but formerly a top-ten player, are the two best examples.

Clearly, if Chandler did not feel inclined to recommend to them to go west then he was hardly likely to suggest that McIlroy should do so, although this is not to say that Chandler will not believe it is the right thing for McIlroy in the next few years.

“Unless he has ambitions to play in the FedEx Cup [the end-of-season play-offs in the US], I don’t see why he should play full time in the States,” Westwood said yesterday. “It’s not like his profile is not massive over there, so he doesn’t need to boost that.”

When McIlroy was considering what to do in 2010, much was made of him having played 11 times in the States this year — only four events shy of the required minimum were he to sign on full time with the US tour — with the three major championships on that side of the Atlantic as well as the World Golf Championship events among the most significant.

In other words, he would hardly be adding to the number of events he plays over there anyway. More relevant is the effect on him of the additional transatlantic travelling that would be required.

“I found it difficult to go from 11 tournaments over there to 15,” Westwood said. “But I’m different. I have a family and kids I want to get home to. He [McIlroy] has no real responsibilities. Golf is a very individual sport and you have to do what you feel is right for you. I played 15 events for two or three years, but found it too hard. There were some events when I turned up only to keep up the number of events I played in.”

Watching McIlroy at tournaments is a pleasure. He has an easy manner and although he looks young, he does not behave as though he is. He rarely seems to get flustered and is clearly popular with players and spectators alike. There is little doubt that he has huge potential. Chandler’s decision may be the making of him.

Road to riches, if not trophies

The four golfers listed have taken up membership of the PGA Tour in the United States, the hardest in the world, and while only two have won tournaments, they have all made a lot of money.

Justin Rose Joined the PGA Tour in the US in 2004. Although without a tournament victory there since, the 29-year-old has won $8.9 million (now about £5.35 million).

Ian Poulter Joined in 2005. Like Rose, the 33-year-old has yet to win a title in the US. Despite this, he has amassed $7.8 million.

Paul Casey The 32-year-old joined in 2005. He had won $2.1 million in his first four years, albeit because of a restrictive schedule, but established himself fully in 2009 by pocketing $2.5 million, most notably for his breakthrough win in the Shell Houston Open.

Martin Laird Joined in 2004 and had won only $271,166 until this year, when a good run of form culminated in the 26-year-old winning the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children tournament on Sunday to take his total winnings to $1.5 million.