Padraig Harrington’s bid for Ryder Cup qualification starts tomorrow at the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur where the Dubliner makes a long-awaited return to competition following a long winter break.
Harrington starts the tournament as warm favourite and hopes to kick-off his season in spectacular fashion as he sets about securing his place on Ian Woosnam’s Ryder Cup team for the September showpiece at the K-Club.
The 34-year-old has had a run of near misses in the tournament, having been runner-up twice and in the top 10 on two other occasions. He was joint eighth last year, fading from contention with a closing 74 that left him 11 shots behind winner Thongchai Jaidee.
"I've had nine weeks off with the main priority being rest," said Harrington, who is joined in the field by compatriots Gary Murphy, David Higgins and Michael Hoey.
"The second priority was doing some good work in the gym over a sustained period of time and the third priority was to do a little bit more on my swing, and I had been tinkering with it towards the end of last season
"I am playing here in Malaysia again as the golf courses in general do suit me. I play well in the heat and because there is not much run, you have to hit the ball in the air a long way and that suits me," he added.
"My game is a bit rusty but I am happy with the things I have worked on but it is always different being on the range than pulling the trigger on the golf course," he said.
"I am halfway between the new swing and the old swing. It will take a while before it settles down and finds its own ground."
Thongchai Jaidee is hoping a third successive Malaysian Open victory will open the door to a US Masters invite.
Thongchai's manager has made approaches to the Augusta National but club officials chose to invite Asian Tour rival Lian-Wei Zhang of China in 2004 and Japan's Shingo Katayama last April.
Thongchai is keen to compete for the famous Green Jacket but for now is happy to let his clubs do the talking.
"I would love to play in the US Masters but I need to play well to get into Augusta," the 36-year-old said. "If I win this week, I might have a good chance to play at Augusta. It is my dream to play in the Masters."
Thongchai will join a select band of players if he triumphs at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club on Sunday.
Only Ian Woosnam (Monte Carlo Open, 1990-92), Nick Faldo (Irish Open, 1991-93), Colin Montgomerie (PGA Championship, 1998-2000), Tiger Woods (WGC-NEC Invitational, 1999-2001) and Ernie Els (Heineken Classic, 2002-04) have previously achieved a title hat-trick.
Miguel Angel Jimenez is the other leading European in the field plotting to deny Thongchai his place in the history books. The Spaniard also has a good record at the Malaysian Open after tying for sixth place in each of the past two years.
