Hong Kong Open:Rory McIlroy will head for next week's season-ending season-ending Dubai World Championship with a healthy advantage over Lee Westwood at the top of the money list after a sensational performance over the weekend in Hong Kong.

Despite a final round of 64, which propelled him to 17 under, the 20-year-old was unable to catch eventual winner Gregory Bourdy. Nevertheless, having picked up a check for €186,190 for his second-place finish, McIlroy now heads the Race to Dubai by €128,173 with just one event remaining.

Bourdy produced a three-under-par 67 to reach 19 under and win the co-sanctioned event by two strokes.

McIlroy began the final day five adrift of Bourdy but stormed firmly into contention as he picked up five shots in six holes at the start of his back nine.

But a furious McIlroy three-putted his penultimate green following a wayward approach for his only blemish of the final day and was and was forced to settle for a second consecutive runner-up finish at Hong Kong Golf Club.

McIlroy's late fireworks may have fizzled out with that three-putt on 17 but second place boosted his chances of finishing the season as Europe's number one in Dubai.

"It was a bit of an anxious putt on the 17th," said McIlroy, who has now earned €2.53 million to Westwood's €2.41 million for the season.

"I am a bit disappointed at the moment but I have the consolation of going back to the top of the Race to Dubai. It's where I wanted to be going into the final tournament."

Westwood slumped to a 74 to complete an unhappy first appearance in Hong Kong as he finished in a tie for 54th and pocketed just €6,200.

The top 60 players in the European money list contest next week's Dubai World Championship.

Former European Ryder Cup hero Darren Clarke will miss out after a 67 left him in a tie for 11th on 10 under and 61st in the money list.

China's Liang Wenchong scraped in, however, a closing 67 lifting him to 10 under and helping him climb to 57th place in the Race to Dubai.