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Rory McIlroy ventures into new territory by playing in the Indian tournament this week as he makes his comeback to action for the initial occasion since the prestigious team event.

As the Northern Irishman widens his competitive experience, the DP World Tour begins the closing stage of this year's season-long championship. McIlroy is in pole position to secure the annual championship for the fourth consecutive year and seventh occasion in total.

There are only three more events following the Indian event; the following week's Genesis Championship in South Korea - which wraps up the 'Back Nine' phase of the tour calendar - and then the last two competitions in the Middle East.

These high-stakes 'play-off' events in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are reserved for the leading seventy and then top 50 in the standings.

However for players such as Fleetwood and Lowry, who are also in this week's field in the subcontinent, there is less pressure than you might imagine.

Sitting outside the seventieth position, at initial inspection it would appear both require high finishes from their trip to the Indian course to extend their campaigns. But, in fact, they are guaranteed in advance of their places in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

This results from a little publicised but pragmatic exception whereby participants of the European squad are also considered eligible for the upcoming season finale events.

The English golfer, who won the PGA Tour's play-offs with his impressive victory at August's Tour Championship in Georgia, lies ninety-fourth in the European tour's season-long table. The Irish champion, who made the winning stroke that retained the team trophy, is one hundred fifty-fifth.

Additional European team-mates who can potentially benefit are Ludvig Aberg (72nd) and Sepp Straka (one hundred forty-seventh).

This might question the fairness of a playoff structure, which by nature is supposed to bring cut-throat competitive jeopardy, but this situation also demonstrates realities faced by the headquartered DP World Tour.

The tour is dependent on major sponsors such as DP World, who are also the naming sponsors of this week's event in the Asian nation. They need the biggest stars at their biggest events to validate the investment, which runs to substantial funding.

Fleetwood has experienced one of his most successful campaigns, highlighted by his first win on American soil at the Atlanta course just under eight weeks past.

He is one of European golf's elite players and, honestly, it would be inconceivable to host the upcoming season climax without him.

Practical considerations trumps pure competition, even though the top-ranked player - a Dubai resident - has saved his best performances for tournaments that do not count on his home tour.

The Englishman has to date played only four European tournaments and been unable to place in the leading twenty at any of them; the Middle Eastern event, Scottish Open, flagship event or Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The majors also count on the season standings and his sixteenth-place finish at the British Open was his only top 20 in the major events. However on the American-based circuit he enjoyed seven top-five finishes.

The European star was also Europe's top points scorer at Bethpage last month. It would be ridiculous for him not to be taking his place alongside the circuit's top performers at the conclusion of the season.

While in the previous era the PGA and European tours were deadly rivals they are now inextricably linked thanks to the cooperative partnership that underpins DP World Tour prize funds.

As the English golfer, last week's winner of the Spanish Open, has moved into McIlroy's wing mirrors as his closest rival at the summit of the Race to Dubai, much of the attention for the remaining schedule will have an American bias.

The storyline will be driven by the competition for ten spots on the PGA Tour for those who do not currently possess playing rights in the US. Penge, with three DPWT wins, is assured of what is widely regarded as advancement to the American tour.

The Clitheroe-based pro, who also secured invites to the Augusta National and British Open with his Spanish success, is not in the India field but will launch a final push to try to overtake the leader at the top of the standings.

And the English competitor, the player Penge defeated in the Madrid play-off, is one of four other Britons in the midst of the battle for a future US tour card.

Yorkshireman Parry and the Bath duo of Smith and Laurie Canter also presently hold spots that would provide a golden ticket for the coming season.

Some observers view this scenario as evidence that the European circuit is now nothing more than a development tour for big brother on the American continent.

However the DP World Tour argue it is a crucial system that underpins their schedule, a essential and attractive element that optimizes competitive chances for its participants.

Undoubtedly this is the time of the year where the realities and compromises of men's professional golf seem at their clearest display.