Padraig Harrington, who pledged to carry the banner of European Number One with pride when he captured the Order of Merit at Valderrama last October, provided considerable evidence of carrying out that promise in the early days of 2007 when he moved into a one shot lead after 54 holes of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
The 35 year old Irishman birdied the final hole from eight feet to edge ahead of three players, Peter Hanson of Sweden, Shiv Kapur of India and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez, with a 13 under par total of 203. The trio on 12 under were followed by halfway leader Phillip Price of Wales and, perhaps ominously, England’s Paul Casey in the group on ten under par.
Casey was the man who battled Harrington all the way to the wire for the Order of Merit crown in October, and with both players in contention on the final day, it means that the 2006 Harry Vardon Trophy winner and The European Tour Golfer of the Year are both steeped in the thick of the action before the year is three weeks old.
However Harrington was quick to play down any hint of a growing friendly rivalry between the two players. Asked if he would be keeping an eye on Casey, Harrington responded: “I am not going to look at anyone other than myself.
“I’ve done particularly well for three rounds and haven’t seen the scoreboard until the 18th green each day, so I certainly won’t be looking at one individual out there. I will be looking at only one individual and that will be me. I won’t worry about anyone else. There will be more than just Paul Casey trying to play good golf tomorrow and I would be a foolish person to worry about only one individual.”
Casey, who has crept stealthily through the field during the first three days, missed a short birdie putt on the 18th to get within two strokes of the leader, but admitted: “My goal was to get into double digits and I achieved that. It was a shame I didn’t get another birdie at the last but a combination of a poor stroke and the grain on the green meant that I didn’t touch the hole!
“I am in there with a shout now and am not too far back. I think I will probably need another 67, or maybe a 66, to have a sniff of the title but I will chase Padraig all the way. He works so hard that he deserves all the success he gets and I try to make sure I work as hard as he does.
“It’s early in the season and I can’t afford to force things tomorrow, but if I can produce another round like this one, then I will be happy.”
Harrington, who is chasing his 11th success on The European Tour International Schedule, admitted a preference to holding a lead going into the final round – “preferably six shots! – but added: “Although it can make you a little bit protective, it’s less stressful than chasing.
“It would be a big pleasure and quite a surprise to win here. I’d be thrilled with that – in fact, I’m thrilled that I’m well ahead of where I thought I would be at this stage of the year. It’s a nice position.”
Hanson, who won the Open de Espana in 2005, fired the lowest score among the leaders, a six under par 66, to climb to 12 under par. The Swede has trimmed two strokes off his opening 70 on successive days and smiled: “It would be great if I could keep the sequence going. I would take a 64 tomorrow.”
Victory would be sweet for the new dad, whose wife Sanna gave birth to the couple’s first child on January 2. After the birth of daughter Stella he confessed: “I’ve been walking on cloud nine ever since. It feels wonderful and it would be great to win for her.”
Jiménez and Kapur both carded rounds of 68, four under par, to join Hanson in the group nuzzling in behind Harrington. The Spaniard conceded that his rich vein of form has come of something of a surprise.
“I just packed the clubs away after playing in the World Cup in Barbados last month” he said. “I went off to the mountains in Grenada with my family for a bit of skiing and it was great fun. Fortunately I have found my game quickly and it would be nice to get my year off to a good start with a win.”
