GOLF/ Lancome Trophy, Paris: Padraig Harrington has not given up hope of becoming European number one for the first time despite the "welcome distraction" of his new-born son. Harrington currently lies fourth on the Order of Merit, more than £800,000 behind leader and world number two Ernie Els.
And the dedicated Dubliner, one of the hardest workers in the game, admits golf has fallen further down his list of priorities since the birth of his first child Patrick on August 24th.
But the world number nine believes he can still overtake Els and improve on his second-place finishes of the last two years.
Harrington, who was in JFK Airport in New York on his way back from the NEC Invitational when wife Caroline gave birth, said: "Ernie is well ahead but not as far as he was last year and both Retief (Goosen) and I passed him.
"It's very possible. The Dunhill Links championship and American Express championship will have a big effect on it.
"It's in Ernie's hands if he plays well but if any of the players up there can perform in those two events they have a chance of catching him and passing him."
Harrington did just that by winning the Dunhill Links last year and first prize of more than £500,000, but the 32-year-old admitted: "Golf has become a lower priority. It's slipped one step further down the ladder but I still believe that I can give everything I need to golf to get as far as I can.
"Having Patrick will probably do me good. I've worked hard for five years knowing that the day would come when I wouldn't have as much time to spend on it.
"I had two weeks off and didn't see my coach Bob Torrance once, and that's unheard of, but I wanted to spend time at home. It's a nice distraction to have."
Despite not consulting Torrance since returning from America, Harrington has nevertheless been tinkering with his swing in the same way Claudio Ranieri tinkers with his Chelsea team.
The Irishman was missing lots of shots out to the right as he was not drawing the ball as he used to, but insists he is still out to win the last edition of the Lancome Trophy.
"I've been experimenting and wanted to come out and try it out in competitive play," added Harrington. "This is a good test. Every event I play in I try to win but there are secondary goals and I can take a lot of satisfaction if things go well and I don't win."
The 34th and final edition of the Lancome Trophy at St Nom-la-Breteche sees British Open champion Ben Curtis make his first appearance in Europe since his shock win at Royal St George's in July. Curtis was ranked 396th in the world before holding off the likes of Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh and Thomas Bjorn at Sandwich to claim his first tournament win in his first Major.
The 26-year-old, outside the top 1,000 in the world at the start of the year but now 37th, has been rushed off his feet since his Open triumph, but has found the time to enjoy a honeymoon with wife Candace after getting married after the third round of the NEC Invitational last month.
"It's been hectic, but a good hectic," said Curtis who will partner Colin Montgomerie and Justin Rose in the first two rounds. "I went to the White House the week after I won and also to New York to do a lot of interviews like the Late Show with David Letterman.
"It's a lot of fun but it wears you out quickly. I've not played as well as I liked but golf was secondary to the marriage and now that is out of the way - we had four days in Monte Carlo before coming here on Monday - I can go out there and concentrate on golf."
Curtis will team up again with Maidstone caddie Andy Sutton who carried his clubs at the Open, and the two will work together again at the World Matchplay at Wentworth.
"I'm looking forward to it, we've talked a few times on the phone and hopefully this week will go as well as the last time," added Curtis, who will play in Japan after his matchplay debut.
