Harrington pep talk for Rory

After leaving new sponsor Nike and banking giant HSBC as red faced as his new driver, what Rory McIlroy needs more now than a planned four-week break is more competition.

That’s the view of Pádraig Harrington who, in stark contrast to previous years, has now played two events in the first three weeks of January.

Harrington was delighted to finish fourth in Durban but slightly disappointed to have shared 23rd place in Abu Dhabi. And while he admitted taking a week off, which included hosting trainer Dave Aldred for two days in his Dublin home, the current world number 50 is quickly returning to competition by adding a first appearance in next week’s Phoenix Open.