Harrington plans points haul before hibernation

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON is intent on building up a “war chest” of Ryder Cup points between now and December when he will take his customary nine-week break from competitive golf.

He has set his heart on making his fourth Ryder Cup appearance at the K Club next September and picked up his first allocation of points at St Andrews on Sunday by finishing in a tie for third in the dunhill Links Championship.

He is well back in the Ryder Cup world and European Tour cup rankings, in 16th place, but he intends to improve things further during the week when he contests the €6.2m AmEx World Championship at Harding Park in San Francisco.