section_path: Professional career/2007–2009: Early years, first European Tour win
section_name: 2007–2009: Early years, first European Tour win
paragraph_text: 2007–2009: Early years, first European Tour win
  
  McIlroy turned professional on 18 September 2007 and signed with International Sports Management. He made his first professional start the following day at the Quinn Direct British Masters, where he finished in a tie for 42nd place. In his next start, he finished third at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He secured his European Tour card for 2008 the following week by finishing in a tie for 4th place at the Open de Madrid Valle Romano. Aged 18, he became the youngest affiliate member in the history of the European Tour to earn a tour card. On the 2007 European Tour season, he earned €277,255 and finished in 95th place on the Order of Merit list.
  
  McIlroy entered the top 200 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) for the first time on 27 January 2008. On 7 September 2008, McIlroy took a four-stroke lead into the final round of the Omega European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland, but finished in a tie for first place with Frenchman Jean-François Lucquin and lost in a play-off. McIlroy finished the 2008 European Tour season with six top-10 placements and ranked 79th in the OWGR. After finishing second in the UBS Hong Kong Open in November 2008, McIlroy moved into the top 50 of the OWGR. He ended the calendar year at 39th; this earned him an invitation to the 2009 Masters Tournament.
  
  McIlroy's first professional win came at age 19 when he won the Dubai Desert Classic on 1 February 2009, which took him to 16th in the OWGR. At the 2009 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in March, McIlroy reached the quarterfinals, where he lost to eventual champion Geoff Ogilvy. In April, McIlroy made his Masters debut, which was his first major championship as a professional. He finished the tournament tied for 20th place. Of the players to make the cut, he ranked third in average driving distance, beaten only by Dustin Johnson and Andrés Romero.
  
  McIlroy then returned to Europe, finishing fifth at the BMW PGA Championship and 12th at the European Open in May. He played in his second major as a professional at the 2009 U.S. Open, where he shot a final-round 68 to finish in a tie for 10th. In July, McIlroy played in the 2009 Open Championship, his first Open as a professional, and finished T-47. The following month, he tied for 3rd on debut at the 2009 PGA Championship. McIlroy finished the 2009 season ranked second on the Race to Dubai, behind Lee Westwood, and in November he entered the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time. McIlroy subsequently announced that he would join the American-based PGA Tour for the 2010 season. He ended 2009 by representing Ireland at the 2009 World Cup, alongside Graeme McDowell. They opened with a 14-under 58 in the first-round fourballs, and held a three-shot lead after the third round, but a final-round 70 resulted in a tie for 2nd.
  
  McIlroy turned professional on 18 September 2007 and signed with International Sports Management. He made his first professional start the following day at the Quinn Direct British Masters, where he finished in a tie for 42nd place. In his next start, he finished third at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He secured his European Tour card for 2008 the following week by finishing in a tie for 4th place at the Open de Madrid Valle Romano. Aged 18, he became the youngest affiliate member in the history of the European Tour to earn a tour card. On the 2007 European Tour season, he earned €277,255 and finished in 95th place on the Order of Merit list.
  
  McIlroy entered the top 200 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) for the first time on 27 January 2008. On 7 September 2008, McIlroy took a four-stroke lead into the final round of the Omega European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland, but finished in a tie for first place with Frenchman Jean-François Lucquin and lost in a play-off. McIlroy finished the 2008 European Tour season with six top-10 placements and ranked 79th in the OWGR. After finishing second in the UBS Hong Kong Open in November 2008, McIlroy moved into the top 50 of the OWGR. He ended the calendar year at 39th; this earned him an invitation to the 2009 Masters Tournament.
  
  McIlroy's first professional win came at age 19 when he won the Dubai Desert Classic on 1 February 2009, which took him to 16th in the OWGR. At the 2009 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in March, McIlroy reached the quarterfinals, where he lost to eventual champion Geoff Ogilvy. In April, McIlroy made his Masters debut, which was his first major championship as a professional. He finished the tournament tied for 20th place. Of the players to make the cut, he ranked third in average driving distance, beaten only by Dustin Johnson and Andrés Romero.
  
  McIlroy then returned to Europe, finishing fifth at the BMW PGA Championship and 12th at the European Open in May. He played in his second major as a professional at the 2009 U.S. Open, where he shot a final-round 68 to finish in a tie for 10th. In July, McIlroy played in the 2009 Open Championship, his first Open as a professional, and finished T-47. The following month, he tied for 3rd on debut at the 2009 PGA Championship. McIlroy finished the 2009 season ranked second on the Race to Dubai, behind Lee Westwood, and in November he entered the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time. McIlroy subsequently announced that he would join the American-based PGA Tour for the 2010 season. He ended 2009 by representing Ireland at the 2009 World Cup, alongside Graeme McDowell. They opened with a 14-under 58 in the first-round fourballs, and held a three-shot lead after the third round, but a final-round 70 resulted in a tie for 2nd.