Harrington flies the flag for Ireland as he plots another victory

US TOUR NEWSAS THE late Charlie Haughey himself might have put it, the current golfing exploits of Ireland's tour players is akin to GUBU shenanigans. Grotesque-Unbelievable-Bizarre-Unprecedented; but truly wonderful nonetheless, although the win streak - three in three weeks on the European Tour - will be put on hold this week, as there is no Irish player competing in the Italian Open.

Instead, the focus will return to Padráig Harrington who, remarkably in this unprecedented run of events, has not played competitively during the victories recorded by Damien McGrane (China Open), Darren Clarke (Asian Open) and Paul Lawrie (Spanish Open).

But there is a sense that things are back to normal this week, with Harrington - after his three week break - resuming his flag-carrying duties, and of course his own personal quest to add big tournaments to an ever-more impressive curriculum vitae, in a tournament that is a wannabe major but must be satisfied (for the moment at least) with the moniker of being the unofficial "fifth major," still a place behind the Masters, the US Open, the British Open and the US PGA in the great scheme of things.

Although he is the only Irish player in the field at Sawgrass, where he has twice finished runner-up, the expected absence of world number one Tiger Woods - who underwent further knee surgery after the Masters last month - means that defending champion Phil Mickelson, the world number two, enters the tournament as favourite.

With no Woods in the field, the championship is more open than it might have been, but Mickelson insists that he approaches the build-up to the Players as he does the majors.

"It's the same as I treat the other majors," claimed Mickelson. "I have already done my normal major championship preparation work, just as I do for Augusta. I've done it for TPC Sawgrass, so I don't feel as though I need to spend an inordinate amount of time getting ready on the course."

Indeed, Mickelson left yesterday as a free day, after travelling down from North Carolina where the superb Anthony Kim made the Wachovia Championship a one-man-stroll in capturing his maiden tour title.

"I'm expecting similar conditions to last year," observed Mickelson.

"The whole point of moving this tournament to May was to have firmer, faster conditions and not have as thick rough around the greens where you couldn't recover with short game shots as in years past . . . but I thought last year played terrific. I loved the changes (to the course). The greens were terrific, too, going to a different grass. Not only did they putt great, but they were more challenging to get the ball close to the hole given that they were able to make them firmer."

In all, players from 17 countries are competing with Fred Couples, the 1984 and 1996 champion, rounding out the the 144-player field. Couples, the 2009 US Presidents Cup Team captain, is the most veteran participant, with 24 past appearances, followed by Bernhard Langer and Davis Love III, both with 22.

Of the foreign invasion, Australia leads the way with 15 players. Sweden is next with seven players and South Africa and England are represented by six players each. The other countries represented are: Spain (3); Argentina (3); Japan (2); Germany (2); South Korea (2); Canada (2); New Zealand (2); Wales (1); Ireland (1); Fiji (1); Denmark (1); and Colombia (1).

Fourteen players are making their first start: Ryan Armour (USA); Soren Hansen (DEN); Richard Johnson (WAL); Matt Jones (AUS); George McNeill (USA); John Merrick (USA); Jeff Overton (USA); Andres Romero (Argentina); Kevin Stadler (USA); Richard Sterne (SA); Nicholas Thompson (USA); Johnson Wagner (USA); Charlie Wi (Korea); and Tim Wilkinson (New Zealand).

The player in the hottest form arriving in Sawgrass was Kim, who described the wait for his maiden win as "a long ride . . . . but sure is worth it". Kim is just 22 years, 10 months and 15 days old so long is a relative term. His Wachovia win came in the 38th start of his career.

There are those who would say Kim actually is on the fast track, literally as well as figuratively. In reality, though, it was a victory the Californian had thought would come much sooner and one he clearly cherished.

When the final putt dropped in a round of 69 and a final tally of 16-under par, Kim pumped his fist twice and exclaimed, "Yes." As he walked toward the white columned pavilion at Quail Hollow Club, Kim doffed his hat and bowed deep before the crowd.

"I'm a little bit numb right now, but that walk up 18 was the best feeling in my entire life, and I'll never forget that feeling," he said.

"I had chills going up and down my spine. I want to recreate that as many times as possible now, so I'm going to really work hard."

A year ago, though, Kim wasn't putting in that kind of effort. He wasn't hitting the range or the practice green or the gym. He calls himself an "immature kid" last year, and he even remembers bypassing practice swings to conserve his energy for the next shot.

"I think if I had won last year, my practicing would have gone down to even less, and there wasn't much to go down," Kim said, only half-joking.

"I might have been playing on the Hooters Tour. It might have been the best thing for me, just to get slapped in the face and realise that I can't win out here without practicing and giving it my all and focusing on every golf shot and on every practice round.

"That did wonders for me this year, and I'm just looking forward to the future now."

And make no mistake about it, that future is bright. Kim now ranks fourth on the FedExCup points list and sixth in earnings after the $1.152 million paycheck pushed him over $2 million for the year.

"He's got a lot of talent," Robert Allenby, who used a 66 to finish fourth on Sunday, said.

A pitching wedge that landed five feet from the hole on number one set the tone for the day. Kim, who bypassed his senior year at Oklahoma to turn pro, went on to shoot 32 on the front using just 11 putts, and he led by seven at the turn.

Kim later admitted he would have been happy for nine pars "and a maybe a birdie," he was quickly to add.

Now Kim is a champion, exempt through the 2010 season on the US Tour, and he's bound for his first Masters next year. With a trio of top-three finishes already this year, he'll go to Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., this week among the favourites at The Players.