Harrington all clear for Ryder Cup

GOLF/BMW International, Munich: Padraig Harrington says he will definitely be fit for next month's Ryder Cup despite a recent spate of injuries.

The Irishman suffered an ankle injury at the US PGA Championship 10 days ago and then ricked his neck, a problem he says has been caused by over-practice.

"I'm definitely not an injury worry for four or five weeks' time," Harrington said yesterday on the eve of the BMW International in Munich.

"They are more niggling than anything else, upsetting my swing more than the injury itself. My ankle is strapped up and I expect both injuries to get better over time; I've had them both before.

"I know what I need to do to work with them. It is more the effect it is having on my timing that is putting me off.

"I'm having close to two hours of physiotherapy per day, about an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening.

"I was in pain with the neck but that has gone away and the ankle gives a little pain when I do certain movement, so psychologically, it is difficult to move into your left side if you are afraid of doing damage. When I spend too much time practising, my shoulder-turns cause the neck to pop out. But I need to practise, so it becomes Catch 22."

Harrington was beaten into second place in Munich last year by American John Daly.

There was just one stroke in it and Daly had to equal the European Tour under-par aggregate of 27-under to clinch victory.

Harrington, who will be 31 on Saturday, also finished second in the BMW International in 1999 and he was third in Munich on his tour rookie year in 1996.

Meanwhile, Seve Ballesteros, who returns to action in Munich after a self-imposed two-month exile from the game, yesterday insisted he had never thought about retiring.

He has not played since being disqualified from the Irish Open in June for signing for a wrong score after shooting a 12 on the final hole in his first-round of 89.

Ballesteros (45), immediately pulled out of the British Open championship at Muirfield, ending his run of 27 consecutive appearances, and speculation was rife he was contemplating ending a career which has brought him five major titles.

But yesterday he insisted that retirement had not crossed his mind. "I was just resting for a while, I did not think about retiring," said Ballesteros, who has made one cut in the five tournaments he has played this season.

"But a lot of people wrote to me, they thought that was it. It was a difficult and sad decision to miss the Open but I did not feel good. I thought it was better for me to stay and rest because I was not very comfortable. I was not doing well and I did not want to show up and suffer."