Pádraig has designs on coursework

Charlie Mulqueen

Harrington has always had a keen interest in golf course architecture and is relishing the opportunity to bring all his experience from playing the game worldwide to an ambitious project planned for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

The course will be the centrepiece of a luxury development on the Arabian Sea, less than a half-hour's drive from Dubai International Airport.

It will also include a country club, polo club, water park, flying club, five-star hotel, bars, restaurants and shopping.

Villas at the resort will cost around E470,000, townhouses in the region of E252,000 and apartments E160,000.

Dubai has become something of a haven for golfers in recent times, especially since the spectacular Emirates Golf Club was opened in 1989 by the Maktoum family, of horse racing fame, and a year later it staged the inaugural Dubai Desert Classic.

Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie have also recently been linked with further golf courses in the Emirates.

Now Harrington's esteem in the golfing world has been recognised by the oil-rich sheiks of the Persian Gulf.