Irish pair opt to scratch lucrative Abu Dhabi trip

PAUL McGINLEY and Padraig Harrington are passing up on the bountiful number of Ryder Cup points at stake in the inaugural Abu Dhabi Championship, which starts on Thursday.

Harrington is in the middle of his customary nine-week break from all competitive action while McGinley returns in the Qatar Masters next week.

More often than not, McGinley would take his place in the Dubai Masters, an event in which he has invariably done well, but that tournament has been moved forward to February 2nd to accommodate Tiger Woods.