Harrington opt-out surprises stars

BOTH Colin Montgomerie and Nick Faldo have expressed their surprise at Pádraig Harrington’s decision not to contest this week’s Volvo PGA championship at Wentworth.

Harrington went back to the top of Europe's Order of Merit by beating Ryder Cup team-mate Thomas Bjorn in a play-off for the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open in Germany on Sunday. But he has chosen to miss the circuit's flagship event simply because he has never had a top-10 finish there.

Montgomerie, who in stark contrast has had three wins and three seconds, said: "It seems very strange. He shot 61 in the World Match Play it's the same course, isn't it?"