Reynolds bags big bucks in Asia

THE happiest golfing man in Asia over the past few days has been a 25-year-old Dubliner, Darren Reynolds.

Darren plies his trade as a caddy on the European Tour for England's Roger Chapman. That alliance is set to continue, as is Pádraig Harrington's partnership with Ulsterman Dave McNeilly. However, Chapman and McNeilly decided they needed a break at the end of a long season, so Harrington and Reynolds, both Dubs and well-known to each other, teamed up for the closing tournaments of 2002.

The first stop was Singapore where Harrington was playing a Skins match against Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh and Retief Goosen. Padraig departed $50,000 dollars better off with Darren benefiting by something like 10% of that.

From Singapore, they moved on to Taiwan for the Asian Open. It's history now how Harrington clung on for dear life to capture his sixth tournament victory on the European Tour and with it a cheque for 248,000. Another 10% was winging its way towards Reynolds' bank account.

The pair are now in South Africa preparing for the ultra rich Sun City Classic starting on Thursday. You really can't lose in this one as a limited field goes in search of untold riches. Given Harrington's almost unbelievable level of consistency, it is reasonable to assume that two very happy Irishmen will take their leave of this amazing resort on Monday next and head off for California and the Tiger Woods endorsed Williams Challenge. Once again, mega bucks are on offer there.

And still there's one to go, the EMC World Cup in Mexico from December 12-15. The prize fund there is a "mere" $3.5 million and if Harrington and partner Paul McGinley were to win, there would be a lot left over to make this the happiest Christmas ever in the young life of Darren Reynolds!

MEANWHILE, Dave McNeilly is back in the north of Ireland, doubtless watching all of this with a rueful grin. He and Padraig have become great friends and the caddy likes nothing better than to see his boss at the right end of the leaderboard. No man I know in his position has to spend more time on the practice range and putting green than McNeilly but he punches in the hours without the slightest sign of complaint.

The plan is that he will be back on Harrington's bag when he begins his 2003 campaign, probably at the World Match Play Championship in California at the end of February. In the longer term, of course, it could be that Darren Reynolds will assume the responsibility while Roger Chapman might be well advised to take a careful look over his shoulder! Caddies with Reynolds' success rate are always in great demand.

The nine-foot putt Harrington holed on the 18th green in Taiwan on Sunday could well prove pivotal as he goes in search of the one result that will decide where he is placed in the pantheon of golfing greats the winning of a major championship. Just picture the scenario had he thrown away a two shot lead with four holes to go and lost in a play-off to a guy with the name of Jyoti Randhawa!

The knives would be out big time, with the word choker very close to many lips. By making that putt, Padraig surely demonstrated that he possesses the inner fortitude to cope with examinations that are as much mental as a test of one's golfing capabilities.

"You don't often get a chance to hole a putt to win and it will be good for confidence in the future", he mused. "

You bet it will.