It's out with the old and in with the new and Pádraig Harrington knows he can't sit still as the Race to Dubai gets underway at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai, starting on Thursday. The Dubliner goes into the event after an encouraging finish to the Volvo Masters that heralded the end of an era for the European Tour.
The 37-year-old opened with a five-over-par 76at Valderrama, but secured a 13th-place finish with back-to-back rounds of 71 and 68 to boost confidence ahead of what's been billed as a Champion of Champions showdown at the Sheshan International Golf Club.
After his double major win this season, Harrington admits his game flagged but he is keen to hit the ground running in China.
"I had a very successful year with winning the two majors in the summer. Since then I had a little bit of a down period, which often happens when you were on such a high," said the world number five.
"But I'm keen to get out and play, I am looking forward to this week. I know it's difficult to win on demand, but feel like I can put up a strong show.
"I am just looking for a continuation of last week. I was not quite prepared, but that means I will be more prepared for this week.
"I started poorly but played quite nicely in the last three rounds so if I can continue that I should be okay this week."
The fourth edition of the HSBC Champions, which brings together tournament winners and money-list leaders from across the globe, marks the start of the new 2009 European Tour international schedule and the new Race to Dubai, which has replaced the traditional Order of Merit culminating with the top 60 golfers contesting the €7.8 million Dubai World Championship next November.
Following the tournament, the top 15 ranked players by earnings will also share a bonus pool of an additional €7.8 million.
"Winning the first Dubai World Championship is something that would certainly fall in behind the majors," added Harrington.
"As a professional it is all about winning majors, but to be the first person to win the new Order of Merit, the Race to Dubai, would be something special. It wouldn't be the same as a major, but it would be just behind it."
Last year Harrington claimed a fifth-place finish behind winner Phil Mickelson, but an improved finish this time around would give him an early head-start after narrowly missing out this year to Sweden's Robert Karlsson.
"We have some great events which start with the HSBC Champions which is a massive tournament in the schedule and anyone who wins this week gets a great boost in his quest to win the Race to Dubai title at the end of the year," said Harrington.
"There are a lot of big events during the year and players will have to win a certain amount of those events to be in with a chance of winning the grand prize which is the Race to Dubai. If you don't win this or something like this, you are not going to be in with a chance.
"I don't need to do much different from last year, fifth place usually means you are right up there. It may mean holing the right putt at the right time or being a little tighter round the green and getting up and down.
"I probably played well enough last year, it's just about getting the right breaks at the right time."
Harrington leads a strong Irish field for the event with Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke, Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane also in the 77-strong field.
