Padraig Harrington is hoping similar efforts as his share of fifth place in his opening event of the season at the Volvo Champions in Durban will ‘get noticed’ when it comes later this year to Ryder Cup selection.
Harrington seized an eighth hole eagle and five birdies in a final round 67, and the first time all week he broke 70, to end opening event of his New Year three strokes behind fellow British Open winner and successful defending champion, Louis Oosthuizen.
Oosthuizen eagled the eighth hole and then birdied the closing two holes to win by a shot with a 12-under par tally and deny fellow South African Branden Grace (68).
Dutchman Joost Luiten (71) and England’s Tommy Fleetwood (72) shared third place on 10-under par and with Harrington in a three way tie on nine under par with the French duo of Victor Dubuisson (72) and Raphael Jacquelin (69).
Padraig Harrington hoping that efforts such as T5th in Durban will get him noticed for the 2014 Ryder Cup. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)
The effort is Harrington’s best finish since he was fourth in the same event a year ago.
“There was a lot of misses out there this week and I missed a lot of short putts through the week,” he said.
“But in saying that it’s nice to be close in the end of the day and it was a nice feeling to be pushing there, and there’s a lot of good signs at the end.”
Harrington headed to Durban knowing he is not into the first two Majors or WGCs of the year and needing to make the most of competing in ‘regular’ tour events up to and including the British Open at Hoylake if he is to have any chance of qualifying automatically for Paul McGinley’s European Ryder Cup team.
“I’m in a tough position to make this team, no doubt and well behind the eight ball at best when it comes to the Ryder Cup,” he said.
“I’ve no points up, I’m not in any of the big events. I probably have more chance of winning a Major than making the Ryder cup team this year … but if I did win a Major that puts me right into the position.
“That’s the nature of the game. I’m trying hard. I’m going to play Wentworth, the Irish Open and certainly make the effort to go to the French Open and the Scottish Open, so a lot of the big Open tournaments and making an effort to get myself noticed, put some form out there and hopefully that’s what I’ll do.”
Fellow British Open winner Darren Clarke slumped under the weight of a 77 for a one over par tally while Michael Hoey battled a respiratory infection in shooting a 74 for a four over par total, and after his caddy Gerry Byrne was forced from the course after 10 holes with the same stomach complaint as Harrington’s caddy Ronan Flood had endured on Friday.
Simon Thornton birdied his closing two holes in a round of 71 for five over par total playing alongside double Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal who struggled all four days to finish last at 12-over par.
“It was great to play with Jose Maria again as he’s an absolute legend and you learn so much watching him as you’re picking up things all the time,” said Thornton.
“But it’s just been great to start my new year in such a prestigious event as this. Overall the game was a little sloppy with two bad shots on Saturday, a double and a triple, costing me badly.
“However ever since winning St. Omer last year I have been looking forward to this week as the Volvo has always been my focus in starting my New Year.
“And while it’s been a tough four days it’s been great because you’ve had to commit to your shots compared to the majority of courses we will play this season where there’s bundles of rough on modern-style golf courses compared to this old links style gem.”
Thornton joined the majority of the field arriving in Abu Dhabi earlier this morning (UAE time) and indicating he is contesting five events in succession up to and including the February 13th commencing Africa Open at East London.
“I just have to play these five as any one of those could be my week,” he said.
