Double Major winning Rory McIlroy indicated he intends to kick start his 2014 season much earlier than in prior years.

McIlroy will again use the facilities at the Els Club here in the  UAE.

“I’ve been coming here to Dubai early in the New Year ever since I  turned pro, spending a couple of weeks here before going to Abu Dhabi,” he said.

“But for next year I’m actually coming out earlier then I have ever been.

“The facilities here in Dubai are second to none, and I know Justin Parsons well from the Butch Harmon School at the Els Club.  He’s a good friend and we get a bit of peace and quite there.  Maybe not now that I’m saying all this (smiling).

Rory McIlroy on the 1st tee for a practice round ahead of his defence of the DP World Tour Championship. (Photo – Stuart Adams/www.golftourimages.com)

“But it’s just great as they also have  a nice little gym there, and they’ve got a great set-up if you want to analyse your swing.  My coach, Michael Bannon, comes out with me and we spend a good two weeks working  on my game, a bit of a mini-boot camp to start the season off.

“It’s worked well in the past and I don’t think it’s a formula I really want to change.”

And while McIlroy is still winless in 2013 he is already looking ahead to the four Majors of 2014 and two venues where he has never player before.

“I played Hoylake a long time ago in the British Boys but I haven’t played Valhalla (PGA Championship) or Pinehurst (US Open),” he said.

“I don’t want to sound disrespectful or the other regular tournaments, but there four massive tournaments a year that you want to try and peak for.

“But then most of my work will be going into preparing for Augusta.  The thing that has held me back at Augusta the last couple of years is that I wasn’t able to turn the ball over.  You need to draw the ball off most of the tees there and that’s sort of held me back on a few holes.

“You look at people who have done well there, even Jason Day, who has not had a chance the last couple of holes, he drives it really well and he’s got a phenomenal short game, and that’s what you need around Augusta.

“And looking back on this year, I just didn’t get off to a good start and struggled to get into it, so I think it’s important to get off to a good start each and every year, and that’s what I’m going to try and do next year.”