Padraig Harrington is reluctant to draw on a PGA Tour money list exemption should he not finish first or second in this week’s Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The 75th anniversary event being played on the Donald Ross designed Sedgefield Country Club course is a Harrington ‘Last Chance Saloon’ scenario for the triple Major Champion.
Harrington’s currently ranked 188th on the Tour money list and needs to be inside the top-25 at the close of this week’s $US 5.3m event to be assured of retaining his Tour card.
“I can use my all-time money winning exemption next year if I need to but I may not use it even though I am exempt,” he said.
Padraig Harrington missed the 2014 PGA Championship cut and is now in Greensboro needing to finish top-two to retain his PGA Tour card for the upcoming 2014/15 PGA Tour season. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
“I envisage playing the same schedule over here next year even if not playing a couple more tournaments, so while it’s good to have the money winning exemption in my back pocket I will be trying to win this week like any other week I tee up.”
Harrington’s management team has entered him in next fortnights European Tour Italian Open but then he’s not certain of teeing-up in suburban Turin, and in the last Gleneagles Ryder Cup counting event.
“I have entered the Italian Open but it hasn’t been confirmed if I will play or not but I know if I were to secure my PGA card this week, I won’t be in Italy,” he said.
However it’s understood Harrington could also compete in the secondary Web-com Tour ‘Final Four Series’ and regain his full card just as Masters champion Trevor Immelman did last season.
Harrington would be eligible for the ‘Final Four Series’ as being placed 126th to 200th on the PGA Tour money list at the end of this week, and next to be among the top-50 at the close of the September 21st Web.com Tour Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
The Dubliner’s begins his final tournament quest to retain his Tour card for a first time since joining the PGA Tour full time in 2007 at 6.25pm later today Irish time playing alongside American Troy Merritt and fellow former European Tour No. 1 Robert Karlsson of Sweden.
It will be only Harringtpon’s third appearance in the event since finishing T47th on debut in 2011 when he posted scores of 69, 68, 69 and 68.
Then last year Harrington shot scores of 73 and 74 to miss the one under par halfway cut.
