Raymie’s star burning brightly

PADRAIG HARRINGTON takes a week off before partnering Paul McGinley in next week’s $4m World Cup in Seville, Darren Clarke sets out for South Africa via Japan for a money-spinning end to his season — and 168 hopefuls make their way to San Roque in Spain for the European Tour’s final qualifying school, simply hoping to be able to rub shoulders with the stars in 2005 (the top 35 and ties will do so).

Six Irishmen will be there: former Ryder Cup winner Philip Walton; Stephen Browne, Michael Hoey and David Higgins who qualified through the Challenge Tour; and Raymond Burns and Colm Moriarty who made it through the nerve-wracking final pre-qualifiers in Spain over the weekend.

The presence of Walton, because of his Ryder Cup status, and Browne, Hoey, Higgins and Moriarty shouldn't come as any great surprise as they have been highly competitive for several years but it is a pleasant surprise to welcome Burns back to the limelight.