Although over 40 players have withdrawn from this week's Qatar Masters in Doha, where the US high command is based in the build-up to threatened hostilities in Iraq, Padraig Harrington - who, at number 10 in the world rankings, is the highest-ranked player competing - has no intention of changing his plans to travel.

Harrington made a point of speaking to PGA European Tour executive director Ken Schofield in recent days about security arrangements in Qatar, and said: "I can see the bigger picture and I am going to play for personal reasons. It's very important for the Tour that there is a second tournament stop in the Middle East.

"In many ways, in terms of deciding whether to travel, I'd liken the situation to that in Northern Ireland. I remember when the British Amateur championship was played at Royal Portrush in 1993, quite a number of English players wouldn't travel.

"People would say to me, 'are you mad to be travelling?', but I never had any problems with travelling to events in the North. People get on with their lives, and I am looking at this Qatar situation in the same light."

Harrington is one of six Irish players competing in Qatar, along with Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley, Graeme McDowell, Peter Lawrie, Gary Murphy and Damien McGrane. Among those to withdraw are Darren Clarke and last year's champion, Adam Scott.

Qatar is approximately 500km from the Iraqi border while the course where the Qatar Masters is being played is some 40km from where American military chief Tommy Franks is based.