Hong Kong Harry keeps eye on Dubai

UNBEKNOWN to Pádraig Harrington, there was a hardback book on the shelf in the Chart Room of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club entitled ‘Challenge’.

Harrington had joined fellow Major winners Rory McIlroy and YE Yang, along with champion Ian Poulter plus fellow Englishman Justin Rose and 17-year old Hong Kong rookie Jason Hak in the club for a promotion ahead of this week’s UBS Hong Kong Open. The golf stars then ventured outside and past a number of yachts in dry dock before boarding a Chinese junk for an hour’s cruise on busy Hong Kong harbour.

However, while the book dealt with the perils faced by those single-handed sailors crossing the perilous Atlantic Ocean, Harrington faces a unique challenge this week and that is to continue an unbroken pro career run of having contested every European Tour season-ending event. He will tee-up in the Special Administrative Region lying 67th on the Race to Dubai money list and seven spots and €53,410 shy of fellow Dubliner Peter Lawrie in 60th place.