The first phone call shortly before noon yesterday found him in the gym. For the next one, after lunch, he was on the practice ground at Wentworth. Padraig Harrington was clearly determined to keep himself busy after an unplanned break from golfing activities on Sunday.

That was in the German Masters in Cologne where, with the Dubliner in a share of third place behind leader Michael Campbell after 54 holes, the final round was washed out. It meant yet another handsome paycheque for Harrington, this time of £91,750, but he would prefer to have taken his chances on the course.

"Though it would obviously have been tough to make up four shots, I'd like to have had the opportunity of winning the tournament," he said. "I probably would have had to shoot 65 or lower, but I could certainly have done that if I had holed a few putts."

Meanwhile, there was particular relevance to yesterday's visit to the gym in the context of Harrington's next assignment. He is attempting to become the first Thursday starter to win the Cisco World Matchplay Tournament which starts on the West Course later this week.

Though the draw will not be made until this morning, the four candidates for seeding through to the quarter-finals on Friday, would appear fairly obvious. Three-time winner Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, holder Colin Montgomerie and the 1997 winner Vijay Singh, are comfortably the highest-placed quartet in the world rankings.

So, Harrington and the other Irish challenger, Darren Clarke, may anticipate first-round matches on Thursday along with Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn, Bob May, Retief Goosen, Nick Faldo and the young Australian, Adam Scott. Their minimum reward will be £50,000 from a prize fund of £1 million - an increase of £360,000 on last year.

Clarke failed to get beyond the first round in two previous appearances, but Harrington did himself proud on his debut in the event 12 months ago. He beat sixth seed Carlos Franco by 7 and 6 in the opening round and then had a superb, 20th hole win over number three seed Els in the quarter-finals. After that, however, he performed disappointingly to lose by 7 and 6 to Montgomerie in the semi-finals.

"With 36-hole matches, it's a question of fitness and the proper mental focus," he said. "Last year, I got to a peak for Thursday's match against Franco; I played reasonably against Ernie and I didn't play at all against Monty. But it was very useful experience which I hope will stand to me this week."

Matchplay situations inevitably prompt recollections of a distinguished amateur career. And unlike most professionals who are dismissive of their amateur past as if it were some sort of disease they are pleased to be rid of, Harrington likes to look back.

"Experience is experience, however you happen to come by it," he said. "A lot of good things and some very good things happened to me during my amateur career and they have shaped the sort of player I am today."

One imagines that positive thoughts must be prompted by the knowledge of never having lost a match in six years in the Amateur Home Internationals and European Championships - generally from a position high in the singles order. And he can reflect on some splendid championship performances, notably the double of the Close and Irish Open Strokeplay in 1995.

Positive thoughts are extremely important to Harrington. Which explains his concern that the dreadful upset of failing to sign his card in the Benson and Hedges International at The Belfry last May, still lingers. "I honestly thought I had put it behind me by the time I went to Pebble Beach to play the US Open," he admitted. That, incidentally, was when he revealed that stress related to the incident had caused a weight loss of 12 pounds.

"In Cologne, people asked me certain questions and I gave honest answers which meant admitting it was still there. It could explain why I have been pushing so hard to win another tournament. Maybe I should simply wait for time to do the healing."

Arising from his difficulty in reading the greens in Cologne, Harrington admitted that he has been investigating the possibility of laser treatment on his eyes, similar to what Tiger Woods underwent after the Ryder Cup last year.

"I have looked at various sites on the Internet," he said. "I won't consider any of them, however, unless I can be guaranteed that they can treat the actual medical condition which has led to my sight problems."

Then his thoughts turned once more to the forthcoming matchplay challenge and the preparatory work he was doing on Wentworth's practice ground yesterday afternoon with his coach, Bob Torrance. "I don't really care whom I'm drawn against," he said. "My target is simply to peak on Thursday, not Sunday."

European Tour earnings of £573,725 so far this season, would obviously have been enhanced by a different outcome at The Belfry. But even by his own, self-critical standards, Harrington knows he is having a good year. Money aside, the point is illustrated by a current, 27th position in the world rankings.

It is the first year in which he has played in all four major championships. And his share of fifth place at Pebble Beach was the highest ever by an Irishman in the US Open.

"Yes, there has been significant progress," he admitted. "I now feel comfortable in the company I'll have here later this week. But all of this has came only as a result of the work I did last year. And there can be no let up. In a way, you could sway that I'm now working for 2001." Their presence at Wentworth means that Harrington and Clarke will be missing the Smurfit Irish Professional Championship at Baltray, starting on Thursday. Which makes Paul McGinley a clear favourite to regain the title he captured at Fota Island in 1997.