Triple Major winning Padraig Harrington has brushed aside any security fears competing in Turkey this week citing having to deal many times playing amateur golf during the ‘troubles’ in Northern Ireland.
Thirteen of the current top-18 on the Race to Dubai, headed by Henrik Stenson who leads the money list along the third ranked Rory McIlroy have withdrawn from the $US 7m event over fears for safety in the Belek/Antalya region.
Joining Stenson and McIlroy is another five of their Hazeltine team-mates including Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Chris Wood, Martin Kaymer, Sergio Garcia and Thomas Pieters.
As well, USA Ryder Cup winning hero, Patrick Reed has returned home to the States while Sweden’s Alex Noren, and a three-time European Tour winner and fourth overall on the Race to Dubai, has chosen also not to tee-up on the Regnum Carya Golf and Resort course.
Triple Major winning Padraig Harrington surrounded by the spoils of his success. (Photo – www.europeantor.com)
“I seriously considered about playing this week in Turkey,” said Harrington.
“But for me, I played golf all through the 80s and the 90s, the late 80s and the 90s, I played most of my amateur career, and I was happy to travel up to Northern Ireland where they would have also said they had troubles, as they called it; issues. (Editors note – In fact, it history calls it – ‘Troubles’)
“I don’t know if that makes you kind of — kind of gives you a little bit more confidence, maybe.
“It might be a false confidence but you understand that there’s a much bigger picture than you as an individual, and so yeah, from those experiences, I’ve never really mind traveling anywhere in the world.
“There’s some places we go at times that can be a little bit dodgy, but we always know when you get there how well things are organized, how well things are looked after, and obviously in a week like this, you can see it when you’re here, it’s top class.
Padraig Harrington during practice ahead of this week’s Turkish Airlines Open. (Photo – www.europeantour.com)
“There obviously is a little bit of doubt coming down here, but when you’re on the ground here, it seems idyllic.”
In fact, Harrington had been due to travel to Las Vegas for this week’s PGA Tour Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
But that all changed when he captured last fortnight’s Portugal Masters and with Harrington 43rd on the Race to Dubai and heading for his best European season finish since being ranked 34th in 2012.
It means, and if he remains inside the top-60, of starts also in next week’s Nedbank Challenge in South Africa and a first appearance since 2012 in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“I was going to play Vegas, but clearly in terms of improving my World Ranking this is a bigger event,” he said.
“Now that I’m qualified for all three of the Final Series events I thought the Turkish Airlines Open was the good run to come to,” he said.
“I was into the Turkish event anyway but the fact I’m currently into all three is the reason I’ve come down here and help improve my standing.
“As I said, if I play well in one of the three weeks, there’s substantial World Ranking points.
“It would be a nice bonus. I need to get back in the Top-50 in the world to get into the Masters and other events like that.
“So these three weeks are a great spring board if you do play well.”
