Refreshed Harrington hopes to bag Oriental win

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON makes his first appearance of the year on the European Tour this week hoping to finally enjoy some luck of the Irish in Malaysia.

On his last five visits to the country, Harrington has finished fourth, third, second, second and 11th, losing out two years ago in a sudden-death play-off in the Malaysian Open to former Masters champion Vijay Singh.

The third place came in the World Cup in 1999 with compatriot Paul McGinley, and the duo return to the Mines Resort course, along with

European number one for the last two years Retief Goosen, and his predecessor Lee Westwood.

Harrington comes into the event on the back of a nine-week lay-off from the game and is already £200,000 behind Order of Merit leader Ernie Els.

The Dubliner made the perfect start to his bid to claim the money list title by winning the BMW Asian Open in Taiwan at the end of the last year the event counting for the 2003 Order of Merit.

"It was a good end to the season but I was physically and mentally tired," said Harrington.

"I needed the break. Of the nine weeks off, I took three off totally and went 42 days without playing a hole of golf.

"I think I've got it right though because I want to play this week, that's a good sign you've taken a good break. I'm looking forward to the new season but at the moment I'm a little erratic and rusty.

"The course seemed difficult over the last two days, that's a sign I haven't played much golf. I keep seeing all the hazards. But I've played well in Malaysia before and hope to do the same this week."

Harrington insists he is a long way from thinking about challenging for the Order of Merit this season, but admits he wasted a great chance to win it last year.

Going into the final event of the season, the lucrative Volvo Masters, Harrington trailed Goosen by only £15,000 but finished 36th two places behind the South African.

"If there is going to be any disappointment last year it was going close in the Order of Merit," Harrington admitted.

"If I go through my career and don't win it, I will look back at that year as the year I slipped up and had my best opportunity.

"Ernie has started great this time but there is a long way to go. I don't think anyone is surprised by his form. We are all impressed, but not surprised."

In Els' absence, Harrington will be one of the favourites for the event despite his long lay-off, while Scotland's Alastair Forsyth defends his title.

The 27-year-old from Paisley played on a sponsors invite last year having lost his card in contentious circumstances at the end of 2001, missing out by one place on the Order of Merit.

Forsyth had been guaranteed 26 starts on a mixture of invites and his ranking, and one of those invites secured him a place in the field at Royal Selangor, where he overcame Australian Stephen Leaney in a play-off.

"I've been looking forward to coming back and defending the title, it's a new experience for me and it gives you an extra buzz," said Forsyth.

Westwood is another former winner of the event, but admits he is struggling to recapture the form that made him European number one in 2000.

He missed the cut by one shot in the Johnnie Walker Classic last week, but felt there was light at the end of the tunnel after his first session with new coach David Leadbetter.

"It's worked well," said Westwood, who won the Malaysian Open in 1997. "He's given me a range of things that I've got to work on and hopefully they will get me on the right track.

"The bad shots weren't that bad and I hit a few quality iron shots, so this week hopefully I can concentrate on scoring a bit more."