GOLF US TOUR FEDEX CUP PLAY-OFFS:VICTORY BY Pádraig Harrington at this week's Tour Championship would transform a season of relative mediocrity into one worth remembering, he said yesterday.
Harrington, a triple major champion, is seeking his first win this year on the PGA or European tours but has produced good form in his last five appearances on the US circuit.
“I’m happy to be here and could turn around a year this week,” he said at East Lake Golf Club while preparing for the season’s fourth and final FedExCup play-off event.
“The last few weeks have been good. I’ve been pushing for a win and this would be a big week to get that win. (I would) turn what was less than an average year up until, say, August into a great year.”
Victory at East Lake on Sunday would earn Harrington a cheque for €900,000 and the chance of a €6.7 million bonus as the overall FedExCup champion.
Only 30 players are in this week’s elite field and Harrington, sixth in the FedExCup points standings, would also clinch that trophy if top-ranked Tiger Woods finished no higher than third at East Lake.
However, Woods and the other top-five players in the points standings – Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson or Heath Slocum – all hold their own destiny in their hands this week.
Any of that quintet would automatically land the FedExCup by winning the Tour Championship.
“I don’t regret being number six because I did what I could,” Harrington said. “I don’t feel like I left too many shots behind me or anything like that.”
Meanwhile, Stewart Cink’s most prized golfing possession disappeared for a while at East Lake Golf Club yesterday, courtesy of a prank by Harrington. American Cink had left the Claret Jug, his trophy for winning the British Open in July, in the club’s locker room.
“I guess he only had it for two years so he wanted to have it just a little bit longer,” Cink said with a broad grin while preparing for this week’s Tour Championship.
“He decided to take it from me. He took it and put it in his own locker.”
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