Padraig Harrington tees up in this week’s Barclays Singapore Open determined to cash-in on Rory McIlroy’s appearance in the tiny island nation.
Harrington is returning to competition for a first time since winning last month’s PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda.
He then narrowly avoided being stuck in the States due to Hurricane Sandy before now making his out to south-east Asia.
Padraig Harrington delighted to cash-in on Rory McIlroy’s appearance in this week’s Barclays Singapore Open. (Photo – Jenny Matthews/www.golffile.ie)
But in his absence on the European Tour, Harrington’s seen Rory McIlroy go further ahead as Number One on the World Rankings while the triple Major winning Dubliner has lost his Ireland Number One title to in-form Shane Lowry.
McIlroy made his Barclays Singapore Open debut in 2008 as a then full Asian Tour event and collected the then biggest pay cheque of his nascent career in earning $US 225,750.
Harrington bogeyed two of his closing three holes to hand victory to India’s Jeev Milka Singh.
Both McIlroy and Lowy have joined Harrington this week in the former Colonial outpost and with the current World No. 61 ranked Harrington looking to capitalise on two fronts.
“The good aspect about Rory being here is that this event now attracts bigger World Ranking points, so his presence certainly adds to the tournament,” said Harrington.
“The bigger the World Ranking points the happier I am but then if you are asking me if my enthusiasm is stronger that Rory is in the field well, no it isn’t as you can’t be looking at it that way.
“If Rory were to finish 35thand I was to finish 34th then that’s not a good week for either us but if then if Rory wins and I were to finish second or vice versa then it is a better week for me points wise.”
A good finish this week would also see Harrington restore further lost pride in regaining the Ireland No. 1 position from Lowry now ranked six spots higher at No. 55 in the world.
“I’m delighted for Shane but it also hurts my pride seeing him the leading golfer in Ireland, it does,”said Harrington.
“I don’t see myself as being 61st in the world that’s not where I visualise myself, and also I would not be very happy if Shane is 56th as he is, and I was 55th.
“There is no point in competing against him individually and it’s like with Tiger (Woods) as you’re not trying to beat him in a tournament.
“I am competing against myself and I certainly don’t see myself as just being limited to getting back into the top 50. A lot of people are speaking and saying, ‘Well you are nearly top 50 again.’
“Yes, that has the advantages of getting into the Majors and WGCs again etcetera but if you told me that was all I was going to do well I would probably be deflated.
“I still full envisage that I will be peaking again and getting back to the highest standard, not looking just to try to get into the top-50 again.”
This week marks Harrington’s fourth straight appearance in the co-sanctioned event however he will be looking to end a run of missed cuts in both 2010 and last year.
