Harrington admits defeat in personal battle with Wentworth

PÁDRAIG Harrington has defended his decision to give next week’s Volvo PGA at Wentworth a miss.

The world’s No 9 won’t tee up in the flagship tournament of the European Tour, because he believes the Wentworth course in Surrey doesn’t suit his game. Harrington’s absence will be a huge loss to the event because he has developed into one of the great characters of European golf.

And victory over defending champion Tiger Woods in this week’s Deutsche Bank-SAP Open TPC of Europe could see him promoted to second place behind Ernie Els in the Volvo European Order of Merit.

Yet, while Harrington is prepared to look Tiger in the eye, he is afraid of a mauling by Wentworth.

He said: “I just find it a tough, tough, golf course. I can come to somewhere like the Belfry (where he finished second in the Benson and Hedges International Open on Sunday) and I like the golf course, it suits me, there is something about it that means I make good scores on it. But Wentworth seems to have the reverse effect on me.”

Indeed, in seven appearances on the famous West Course, Harrington has failed to return even one top 10 finish.

Last May, as Denmark’s Anders Hansen was creating history by shooting a record low score for a Wentworth PGA Championship of 19-under-par 269, Harrington had been relegated to the practice ground after missing the halfway cut.

He said: “I found Hansen’s score incomprehensible. How could anybody shoot 19 under on that golf course? If I was a rookie and that was my first ever tournament, I would have packed up my clubs and gone. I would have said, ‘I’m not good enough to be out here. It just isn’t set up for me.

“Wentworth is an ultra-straight hitter’s course. Guys like Colin Montgomerie or Michael Campbell turn up every year and they finish in the top five. Every year I turn up and I’m struggling to finish in the top 50.”

Harrington rejects the charge that a player of his stature should be seen supporting the highlight of the Tour’s season. He insisted: “I support the Tour without a doubt and I will definitely play the PGA in future years. The way I’m looking at it is that I’m having a break from this particular event. It’s a tournament I’d really love to win and maybe if I improve my game a little bit I’ll find the course does suit me.

“I guarantee I do want to master it, but right now it beats me up. It just does my head in.”