Harrington plans to pump up the volume in 2013

Pádraig Harrington shot his best score in nine rounds on the Greg Norman Earth Course yesterday but is still a shot behind Rory McIlroy.

World No 1 McIlroy posted a six-under-par 66 on the opening day of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship Dubai to trail Luke Donald by a shot.

Harrington’s 67, however, raised most eyebrows but the triple Major winner has already switched his attention to his possible first event of 2013 — a first appearance in the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

The TPC Scottsdale stadium-like course is infamous for the 162-yard par-three 16th, or ‘party hole’. It’s the hole where Tiger Woods drove the crowd delirious in holing out for an ace in 1997 and also where you get loudly booed for playing a poor shot.

“I’ve never played the event before and it’s the event with that noisy par-three 16th and surely you can’t miss that event in your golfing career,” he said.

“I just like the whole noise of that hole and I think there is a place like that in golf, and all golf tournaments shouldn’t be the same.

“They’ve managed to create something unique there so I would love to play in the tournament at least once in my career, and that’s for sure.”

Peter Lawrie posted a four-under-par 68 yesterday, while Michael Hoey recorded a 70.

However, Shane Lowry, as reported in yesterday’s Irish Examiner, had to withdraw and was still laid up in his Dubai hotel room suffering the effects of a virus.

Unfortunately, it meant Lowry falling €3,460 short of breaking the €1m barrier in tournament earnings this year, although he was guaranteed €19,371 just by hitting one shot in finishing last.

It will also spoil the current world number 57’s hope of ending the year inside the top 50 and earning an invitation into next April’s Masters.