McIlroy, who arrived in UAE having captured last week’s Hong Kong Open title, will need to win the Dubai event and to have Donald finish outside the leading nine players in the elite 60-player field.

However one of his first stops on arrival in Dubai was not this week’s host Jumeirah Estates course but a Dubai hospital.

“I won’t get the results back until late on this week, so I’m just waiting of then and we will see what happens after that,” he said to reporters.

“My white blood cell count was very low the last few weeks so I am hoping the blood count went back up again.

“I’m just not where I want to be energy-wise.”

McIlroy had complained of being lethargic for most of last week ahead of victory in the Hong Kong Open.

He revealed he contacted a stomach ‘bug’ in early November while competing in three events in China.

McIlroy contested the seven-day, seven-city China Golf Challenge and the following week won the Shanghai Masters before ending in a share of fourth place in the WGC – HSBC Champions a week later in Shanghai.

He then joined World No. 1 Tennis girlfriend, Caroline Wozinacki for a fortnight’s holiday, commencing with a week in the Maldives and a week in Dubai.

However McIlroy was feeling so unwell in the Maldives he visited a Male hospital on three separate occasions to be put on an intravenous drip.

Then when he ventured to Dubai, McIlroy underwent a fourth intravenous drip.

“I will probably take another day off Wednesday and put all my focus into the four tournament days,” he said also to reporters.

“I’m not 100%, but I’m still able to go out and play 18 holes and try and give it my all.”

McIlroy tees up in Dubai trailing Euro 789,789 in second place on the monsy list behind Donald.

“It’s a golf course that I’ve had some success on the last couple of years with a third place and a fifth place,” he said to reporters.

“So I am excited to be here and there’s still a lot to play for. I’ve still got a slim chance of trying to win the Race to Dubai, and it’s so nice to just have that coming here this week.

“I’ve got to win and Luke has to finish outside the top nine or 10, whatever it is."