Harrington knows what he'll do

US PGA: Padraig Harrington's first decision was tough. Would he play in this week's US PGA Championship, the season's last major, at Medinah Country Club in the sprawling metropolis of Chicago? Once he had decided that, yes, he would play, his next decision was easy: he'd donate every cent, the lot, of whatever prize money he wins in the tournament to breast cancer research.

On Sunday, when he first got news that Darren Clarke's wife, Heather, had lost her long battle with cancer, Harrington was preparing to board a flight from Dublin to the States and didn't have time to make a definitive decision on his participation. He decided to continue with his travel plans, knowing that he could always return home should he decide not to play.

"Travelling over, I wasn't too sure what decision I'd make," he admitted.

Ironically, it was after talking with Paul McGinley, who had already decided not to play in the PGA Championship, but who informed him of Clarke's wishes that players should stick to their original plans, that Harrington felt at ease with his choice to remain on in America and play.

"You know, it was a difficult decision for me to make. But Darren made his wishes known, made it clear that Heather would have wanted everybody to play, and it wasn't as difficult in that situation for me to stay.

"It is quite well known that he wanted the players to play here, that Heather would have wanted that, and Darren made it easier for me to make the decision that I've made."

He added: "I am going to donate all my prize money to breast cancer research, which is the charity that's been nominated, instead of sending flowers and things like that. So, hopefully, I'll do some good by being here."

Harrington has been paired with Jerry Kelly and Heath Slocum for the opening two rounds, while Graeme McDowell, who is resuming after a two-week break and who has also struggled over the decision to play, has been drawn with JJ Henry and Australian Aaron Baddeley.

Like Harrington and McDowell, Lee Westwood and Thomas Bjorn, other close friends of the Clarkes who were considering their positions, have also made the decision to play in the championship.

With a prize fund in excess of $6.5 million (the actual figure won't be released until tomorrow), the tournament could well be critical in deciding the final places on the European Ryder Cup team. The Europe team will be confirmed after the BMW International in Munich in just over a fortnight.

But Harrington could fully understand why McGinley should decide not to play here this week, despite occupying the 10th and last automatic place on Ian Woosnam's team.

McGinley plans to return to competition at next week's Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, and then play in Munich the following week.

"It's a difficult situation for Paul, but there's bigger things than the Ryder Cup," Harrington said.

"There's bigger things than golf. On an occasion like this, I think it was a very clear-cut decision for Paul to make. He and Ali (McGinley's wife) have been very close to Heather for a long time. Paul and Ali would be particularly close to Darren and Heather. Paul told me of his decision not to play here, and I definitely agree with it."

At the moment, with just three weeks of tournaments left before the European team is completed, McGinley has a cushion of €138,207 over Paul Broadhurst, the next placed player on the European Ryder Cup points list, and of €210,073 over Johan Edfors. Broadhurst and Edfors are playing in Medinah.

McGinley's withdrawal opened the way for Sweden's Daniel Chopra, the first reserve, to come into the field.

With his mind made up to play, yesterday, bright and early, Harrington - who is coming off a two-week break in a final thrust aimed at securing his Ryder Cup place for next month's match at The K Club, as well as eyeing some of the most-prized titles in the sport - could be found on the practice range, doing what he meticulously does in the run-up to any tournament, never mind a major. Practice, practice, practice.

But while Harrington went through his practice ground routines before going out to familiarise himself with the course, Tiger Woods, winner of the British Open last month, was already finishing his practice round.

The world's number one played an informal practice round here three weeks ago prior to winning the Buick Open, and played again on Sunday afternoon. Yesterday morning, he teed off well before the gates opened at 7am. Woods captured the first of his two PGA titles here at Medinah in 1999.

On Thursday, as is traditional, Woods, as the current British Open champion, will play alongside Phil Mickelson, the defending US PGA champion. US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy makes up the three-ball.

Mickelson missed the cut at the International in Denver last week and arrived at Medinah early. But, instead of playing the course on his arrival on Sunday, the holder spent an extended period of time working with his short game coach, Rick Smith. He played a full practice round yesterday.