Harrington in hunt for Malaysian honours
Harrington tees off after a successful first season on the US PGA Tour, where he won twice, and is now looking to follow in the footsteps of world number two Vijay Singh, who clinched the title in 1992 and 2001.
The 34-year-old will also go into the tournament co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour as favourite, although he faces the challenge of two-time winner and defending Malaysian Open champion Thongchai Jaidee, of Thailand.
Jimenez, who finished fifth at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship at the weekend, is searching for win number four in Asia and his 15th European Tour title overall.
And the Spaniard, aged 42, will also want to turn two sixth places in the last two years into his first victory at the Kuala Lumpur event, which runs from February 16-19.
Seve Ballesteros has delayed his first tournament appearance of 2006 due to further pain in his back.
The 48-year-old played his first event for nearly two years at the Madrid Open in October, and although he missed the halfway cut, Ballesteros said he hoped to be back at next week's Dubai Desert Classic.
"He changed his mind because he does not feel 100%," said his manager and nephew Ivan Ballesteros.
"Seve wants to practice some more, and the other thing is his back. He's been doing exercises, but he has some pain and he believes that if he competes next week he might have to stop.
"He wants to be at the Masters in April and is hoping to play before then."
Twice a winner at Augusta, Ballesteros has not appeared in any major since missing the cut there with a second-round 85 three years ago.
It was feared his career was over because of an arthritic condition in his back it is 10 years since he made a cut in a major but he returned two months ago on the same Madrid course where he had the last of his 50 European Tour victories in 1995.
He finished 118th out of 119 with scores of 77 and 73.
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