Golden opportunity for Harrington to impress

AN ANKLE injury, sustained in practice on Monday, could prevent Des Smyth playing in the Madeira Island Open starting on the …

AN ANKLE injury, sustained in practice on Monday, could prevent Des Smyth playing in the Madeira Island Open starting on the Santo da Serra mountainside course high above Funchal today. The former Ryder Cup golfer has been unable to hit a ball for two days and will make a last minute decision this afternoon on whether he will be fit enough to take part in the opening round.

Smyth hurt his left ankle while practising soon after his arrival from the Portuguese Open in Lisbon where he performed solidly to share 14th place behind Australian Wayne Riley.

"It felt as though I had sprained it. It gave me a fright because I could not transfer my weight to my left side," he said. "I had only hit a few balls and I had to quit. Then when I tried to play a few practice holes with the rest of the guys and I had to walk in after five holes."

He wisely rested on Tuesday and did not take part in the pro-am yesterday reserving his energies for a few chips and putts on the practice green. "I can walk all night without pain or difficulty," he added. "But as soon as I try to go through with a shot it becomes impossible."

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Smyth has been unable to obtain an expert diagnosis because the PGA European Tour's physiotherapy unit has not been able to journey to the island. "A local doctor told me that, he believed I had strained a ligament," he added. "Fortunately I have an afternoon start so I can get the maximum amount of rest."

If Smyth has to drop out it will further deplete an Irish contingent already weakened by the absence of Darren Clarke Paul McGinley and Raymond Burns.

But Padraig Harrington Francis Howley, and David Higgins are all in action, Harrington having so far been the most successful of the Irish graduates from the European Tour Qualifying School. He has won money in all four events he has played to date and is poised to increase his prize money into five figures.

However the three times Walker Cup player is far from satisfied. "I have played well to make the cuts then played poorly at the weekends," he said. "I used to do that in the past but I don't know why it is happening now.

What Harrington does know is that establishing himself on Tour is a tough task. You have to be disciplined and it `is difficult.' There are so many on the borderline. The fields are so bunched that anyone who gets past the cut can make it into the top 10."

That is Harrington's goal here where a top 10 place will qualify him for the Cannes Open, an event his current status will not permit him to play.

The same applies to Milltown's Howley who has won just over £6,000 from his five tournaments to date, while Waterville's Higgins is just eager to make his mark.

John McHenry and Jimmy Heggarty complete the Irish line up in a field that contains only one of the leading Europeans who will compete in the US Masters, next month.

He is Sheffield's Mark Roe who, ended a run of poor form with his first cheque of the season last week. Roe qualified for Augusta, because he finished 13th in the" US Open last season, although he was 126th on the European Tour. The previous year he was ninth and he attributes his decline to personal problems.

Now he is eyeing a first prize of £50,000 as a US Masters fillip. Roe takes on Ryder Cup players Paul Broadhurst and Jose Maria Canizares and defending champion Santiago Luna.

Other strong contenders are German Sven Struver, who won the South African PGA title in February, Scot Paul Lawrie, who took the wind shortened Catalan "Open, and Swede Peter Hedblom, who was a start to finish winner of the Moroccan Onen.

But this is a week dominated by Qualifying School and Challenge Tour newcomers and offers them a golden opportunity of the cherished category five status that goes to a champion. It would not be surprising to see one of them break through and Harrington is talented enough to be among those most likely to be in contention.

. The Reigning champions Richard Boxall and Derrick Cooper are still on course for a record breaking third victory in the Sunningdale Foursomes Surrey based Boxall and Birchwood's Cooper, both seasoned European Tour professionals, would be the first pair to achieve the feat and set off yesterday beating Jeremy Bennett of Pyrford and Hogan Stott of Laleham 3 and 2 in the second round and then trouncing Tony, Charnley, an unattached professional, and Darren Charlton of Tilsworth 5 and 4 in the third.

Cooper is still recovering from an operation on his left foot"that he had last November and has taken to using a broom handled putter but he and Boxall were never troubled in either of their, matches.

Meanwhile Australian Wayne Riley defied his doctor's orders not to eat for 48 hours but still won through to the last 16. Riley, winner of the Portuguese Open and £54,000 on Sunday, has been suffering from stomach trouble ever since his European triumph but he was well enough to win two matches despite his problems.