The year 2000 ended officially for Padraig Harrington here yesterday when he was beaten by Steve Stricker in the first round of the Accenture Match Play Championship.

Harrington was not so jetlagged that he did not know what date it was and his reasoning had its own peculiar logic. "I'm using this as my last event of the season," he had said, "and then I'm taking six weeks off for a winter break. I've set no goals for next year (by which, of course, he meant this year) because I'm still in last year."

He would like to have remained there for a few days longer but Stricker soared above his status as the world number 91 (67 places below the Irishman who was the highest-ranked European in the field) to win 2 and 1.

Stricker is no slouch and might not be your first choice as an opening opponent, but his recent form has been non-existent. He has not played competitively since mid-September - his choice - and missed the cut in his final four events, including the Open and the US PGA Championship.

Touted as a superstar after winning two events on the US Tour in 1996 and finishing fourth on the money list, he slumped to 130th the following season and, his confidence still fragile and his driving ropey, was 113th last year. In short, just the kind of player to fear in an 18-hole match.

The American was erratic off the tee but had five birdies (and two bogeys) while recovering well from his treks into "kangaroo territory", as he called it, notably at the 17th where he closed out the match.

Harrington, who was two down, drove safely on to the fairway and Stricker struck his drive well right and into the trees. He manufactured a low cut shot that skipped merrily along to just in front of the green, chipped to five feet and then holed the putt to match the Irishman's par.

It was caps off for the handshake and Harrington, bitterly disappointed, shrugged: "What can you say? I played steady golf - one bogey (at the 1st) and three birdies - but it wasn't good enough. He hit a few errant shots but didn't let them bother him, kept going well and the 17th was classic matchplay."

Irish interest in the event was ended when Paul McGinley lost 2 and 1 to Scotland's Gary Orr. The Scot was five up after six on McGinley, a nightmare run for the Dubliner which included a penalty shot he called on himself when his ball moved just as he was about to hit his third shot to the long sixth. There are compensations for first-round losers here, who also included second seed Hal Sutton, edged out at the 21st by Australia's Nick O'Hern. They all earned $25,000 minus the 49 per cent or so taken by the Australian taxman.

Harrington is now set to spend some of that money on holiday with his wife; they intend visiting the Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef. Let 2001 begin.