Harrington sets targets for next season

Padraig Harrington, runner-up to Retief Goosen on the European Order of Merit for the second season running, is already considering his plan of attack for next year.

Harrington sets targets for next season

Padraig Harrington, runner-up to Retief Goosen on the European Order of Merit for the second season running, is already considering his plan of attack for next year.

And it could see the Dubliner star missing two of the biggest money events in Europe and America.

The £2million Volvo PGA championship at Wentworth in May is regarded as the tour's flagship event, but it was the only one in which Harrington missed the halfway cut all this season and in seven attempts he has never had a top-10 finish.

"There's no point in going and playing golf courses that you struggle to make the cut at or that you struggle on," said the Ryder Cup star after failing in his bid to grab the number one spot from Goosen in Spain yesterday.

"It's a tough enough game without going to a golf course that doesn't suit you."

For the same reason, Harrington is not certain to play in the £3.5million Accenture world match play championship in California in February.

Although a million-dollar first prize is on offer there, he has made the long trip twice and been knocked out in the first round twice.

Harrington, ecstatic about his second place on the money list last year because he won the season-ending Volvo Masters to achieve it, was bitterly disappointed last night because he knew the chance was there to head the list for the first time in his career.

Goosen was only 34th at Valderrama on 12 over par and Harrington would have taken the crown if he had finished six over. But he finished on seven shots too many.

At least it was not the two-stroke penalty in the first round for repairing a pitch mark off the green that proved decisive, but he does not want to spend time reflecting on where he lost it.

"Bar the tournament I won I could give you a sob story from every week," he commented. "But you would really go barmy if you look at what you've lost at each event.

"I've learnt from the experience and what's good is that there's not a part of my game I can't improve. I can improve leaps and bounds in all areas."