Harrington branded ‘slowest player on tour’ by Goosen

RETIEF GOOSEN has branded Pádraig Harrington, his rival for the European Order of Merit title, “definitely the slowest player on tour”.

And Harrington responded by calling the South African "no boy racer himself".

Goosen is less than €54,000 ahead of Harrington entering the last three events, but the importance of being in front takes on a different meaning in the Telefonica Madrid Open starting tomorrow.

While Goosen tees off at 1.20pm with Lee Westwood and Soren Hansen, Harrington is at 1.30pm with Seve Ballesteros and Andrew Coltart.

"Luckily he is playing just behind me so I can finish," said defending champion Goosen in a rare moment of outspokenness.

"He is on the limit every time. If you are allowed 40 seconds he will take 39. He is not getting fined, so he is fast enough. But he is definitely the slowest player on tour."

When that was put to Harrington, the Ryder Cup star said: "When did Retief last play with me? That's definitely the pot calling the kettle black and I hope he does not hold me up.

"I am not a candidate for the quickest, but I've changed my routine. I'm going to have to live with people saying things, though even if I sprinted around somebody still would."

Goosen added: I don't get really angry, but I like to get into some sort of rhythm. I think that's why I struggled at the Dunhill links tournament a few weeks ago.

"One round took six hours 15 minutes and five hours 50 was the quickest. I can't understand why a normal fourball with amateurs takes four to four-and-a-half hours and we take six even when the two amateurs can pick up on virtually every hole.

"We were hitting a shot and then waiting 20 minutes. At one point we played four holes in two hours. I get stiff very quickly and it did me no good."

Harrington, clearly not to the surprise of Goosen, won the €810,000 first prize that week to set up the closely-fought finish to the money list race.

Harrington is not among the nine European tour players who have been fined so far this season but according to the tour's director of operations David Garland he is one bad time away from having to pay €793.

Garland said: "Padraig is certainly somebody who knows how to react when he is put on the clock. When a group falls out of position they are timed. That has happened 15 times to Padraig this season and he has had only two bad times. A fine comes on the third.

"I would say he has improved and he is very much aware of his problem and has worked hard on it."

Welshman Jamie Donaldson is the only man to have been docked a stroke for slow play this year at the European Open while Trevor Immelman has had the most fines (they total €5,500) and Scotland's Raymond

Russell has been put on the clock the most times (31).

"Obviously I know I can't win the Order of Merit this week, but it would be nice to win and extend my lead," said Goosen.

This Sunday's first prize is €233,000 and next week in Rome it is €182,000.

"I'm going all out to win this," said Harrington, who won the season-ending Volvo Masters last year to finish runner-up to Goosen. "I'm looking to see how Retief does, but on the course I have to focus on my own game."