Harrington to take up full US Tour card

Golf World Matchplay Championship: On the eve of going in chase of the biggest individual cash prize in world golf, the £1 million (€1,444,280) up for grabs to whoever should manage to win the HSBC World Matchplay Championship, Padraig Harrington revealed he has finally and unequivocally decided he should spend more time playing on the US Tour and he will take up his full tour card across the Atlantic next season, writes Philip Reid At Wentworth

In many ways, reality has bitten. The consequence of the Dubliner's decision is he will undergo less globetrotting - mainly forsaking tournaments in the Far East, which up to now have traditionally launched his seasonal campaigns, in favour of playing more frequently in the US in the early part of the year - to undertake a more structured schedule that allows him to commit his playing time to Europe and the US alike.

This is a similar policy to the one adopted by, among others, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and, more recently, Darren Clarke. Ironically, Harrington's increased commitment to the US Tour - he will play up to 17 counting events next year - comes at a time when Els, destined to claim back-to-back Volvo Order of Merit titles, is under increased pressure to play an even greater number of tournaments in America.

"They wrote me a letter and I'm busy responding to it. I think they need to understand the golfing world has changed through the years, there's a world outside of America and I'm part of it," said Els.

For his part, Harrington's home tour will remain Europe but, having only taken up non-exempt membership status on the US Tour for the past couple of years, he has decided to bite the bullet and also take up full membership there.

There's an unwritten rule that anyone who plays in the season-ending Tour Championship - which takes place in Atlanta next month, the week following the Volvo Masters, the European Tour's equivalent - must take up full membership and Harrington has gone with that.

"I've been playing well in the States and, you know, I just felt the need to play more regular tournaments," said Harrington, who claimed his current tournament itinerary has seen him reach July feeling "like the year hasn't started" and yet with three of the season's four majors finished.

"I'm going to play a bit more so that I'm more competitive at that period of the year, so I'm just trying to get a heavier schedule at the start of my season and that realistically means playing more (in the US). I'd also like to win a US Tour event."

He added: "I've felt a little bit this year, and last year, that I haven't quite got into things by the time July has come around . . . I've only played about 10 events, or something silly like that."

The restructuring of Harrington's schedule won't, however, mean he will be cutting in on his long winter break which traditionally last up to 10 weeks. That won't change unless he happens to win the Tour Championship, which would necessitate playing in the Mercedes Championship - confined to tournament winners - which opens the US Tour season in Hawaii in January.

For now, his focus is on the World Matchplay on a course he believes is unquestionably different to the one that plays host to the Volvo PGA each May. In fact, Harrington yesterday suggested he could next year reappear in that showpiece of the PGA European Tour having bypassed it for each of the past two years.

"As things stand, it's on my schedule," he said. "I will actually look forward to it and try my hands at it again . . . but I do struggle on the greens at that time of year."

At this time of the year the West Course is a different beast. "It's a totally different golf course," observed Harrington. "It's matchplay, and there's the fact you've only got to play the other guy. You're much more in control, (because) he might find it as tough as you and you can see everything happening in front of you.

"I know you can go quite low here at this time of the year when the course is soft, yet it is a control thing being a one-on-one match . . . (and) the greens will be magnificent. There's only 16 of us, so they will be pure to putt on."

Harrington, who reached the final here in 2001 only to lose to Ian Woosnam, meets US Ryder Cup player Chris Riley, who is making his debut, in today's first round. The Irishman is not one of those who doesn't watch his opponent in matchplay. "It's crazy to believe that you can play the golf course solely," he said. "You've got to go with the situations and the circumstances. If a guy hits it out-of-bounds, you have to change your strategy."

As someone who revels in the matchplay format, Harrington - despite playing his sixth successive week and complaining of his "focus" - is keenly anticipating the challenge of the next few days.

Back in 1995, in their amateur days, Harrington and Riley were on opposing Walker Cup teams. Harrington, now eighth in the world, has changed much since then. As he commented, "I hope Chris will be shocked when he tees it up with me because I've changed so much."

The proof will be in the result.