Harrington still looking out for number one

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON has not given up hope of regaining the European Tour’s number one spot — even though he currently stands 21st.

“I’ve got five events left to give myself a chance,” said Harrington, on the eve of his attempt to win the Alfred Dunhill Links title in Scotland for a third time.

“I probably need to win two and a few other things to go right, but that would be the goal at the moment.”

Harrington, who has rediscovered form in America the last two months, is €1.14 million behind leader Martin Kaymer, but could almost half that by winning this week.

Kaymer is powerless to do anything about that because he is currently recovering from surgery on broken toes suffered in a go-kart accident.

Second-placed Paul Casey is out of action too with a rib muscle injury, but Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher could make Harrington’s task harder by winning and going to the top of the money list.

Harrington, however, has the memories of triumphing at St Andrews in 2002 and 2006 — the year he went on to capture the Order of Merit — and with fellow Irishman JP McManus as his partner again in the pro-celebrity format, he stated: “This is one of my favourite tournaments of the year.

“Obviously it’s one of my best opportunities of winning an event — not often do we get to play links golf and I think the set-up really suits me well.”

Swing changes finally seem to be paying off, but he has not tasted victory this season yet apart from the Irish PGA Championship — not a Tour event — and he says: “When we get into 2010, the only thing that will be looked back on is how many wins you had in 2009.

“Even though I can be comfortable with what’s happened I’ve got to make some wins in order to make this in any way a good year.

“But it was very, very productive and I would think it will make me a better player. There’s some sacrifices in it, but I definitely think it’s been worth it.”

Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy said he has studied the 2010 US Tour schedule and will now be giving “serious thought” in the next two months to whether he should join up.

“I’m in no rush, but the opportunity may not be there forever,” commented the 20-year-old Northern Irishman, who would have to commit himself to 15 events if he did take up membership.

Majors and world championships count towards that, however, and they would also be among the minimum 12 he has to play to retain his European Tour playing rights.

McIlroy, in Scotland this week for the Dunhill Links Championship, would have to play only three additional US Tour events to those who competed in this year — and that would make him eligible for the FedEx Cup play-offs with its $10m bonus.