MADRID OPEN: Retief Goosen has labelled Padraig Harrington, his rival for the European Order of Merit title, as "definitely the slowest player on tour".

Goosen is €54,000 ahead of Harrington entering the last three events, but the importance of being in front takes on a different meaning in the Telefonica Madrid Open, which starts today.

While Goosen tees off at 1.20 p.m. with Lee Westwood and Soren Hansen, Harrington is off at 1.30 p.m. with Seve Ballesteros and Andrew Coltart.

"Luckily, he is playing just behind me so I can finish," said defending champion Goosen, who is rarely outspoken. "He is on the limit every time. If you are allowed 40 seconds he will take 39.

"He is not getting fined, so he is fast enough. But he is definitely the slowest player on tour."

When that was put to Harrington, however, he said: "When did Retief last play with me? That's definitely the pot calling the kettle black and I hope he does not hold me up.

"I am not a candidate for the quickest, but I've changed my routine. I'm going to have to live with people saying things, though - even if I sprinted around somebody still would."

Goosen added: "In general most of the players have learnt to play quicker, but I think something's got to be done about the situation.

"I don't have a problem with slow play. As long as he's behind me that's fine.

"I don't get really angry, but I like to get into some sort of rhythm. I think that's why I struggled at the Dunhill links tournament a few weeks ago.

"One round took six hours 15 minutes, and five hours 50 was the quickest. I can't understand why a normal fourball with amateurs takes four to four-and-a-half hours, and we take six even when the two amateurs can pick up on virtually every hole.

"We were hitting a shot and then waiting 20 minutes. At one point we played four holes in two hours. I get stiff very quickly and it did me no good."

Harrington, clearly not to the surprise of Goosen, won the £511,000 first prize that week to set up the closely-fought finish to the money-list race.

The Dubliner has an advantage in that he has entered next week's Italian Open while Goosen is in America at their Tour Championship.

And while Goosen is happy to be back at the Club de Campo course where he won both the Madrid Open and the Order of Merit a year ago, it is also the scene of two of Harrington's five tour wins.

Harrington is not among the nine European tour players who have been fined so far this season, but according to the tour's director of operations, David Garland, he is one bad time away from having to pay £500.

"Padraig is certainly somebody who knows how to react when he is put on the clock," Garland said.

"When a group falls out of position they are timed. That has happened 15 times to Padraig this season and he has had only two bad times. A fine comes on the third. I would say he has improved and he is very much aware of his problem and has worked hard on it."

Welshman Jamie Donaldson is the only man to have been docked a stroke for slow play this year - at the European Open - while Trevor Immelman has had the most fines (they total £3,500) and Scotland's Raymond Russell has been put on the clock the most times (31).

"Obviously I know I can't win the Order of Merit this week, but it would be nice to win and extend my lead," added Goosen.

"What chance I have at the Volvo Masters depends on the next two weeks. Even if I am just a little bit behind going to Valderrama that's fine - but I don't want to be £150,000 behind."

"I'm going all out to win this," commented Harrington, who won the season-ending Volvo Masters last year to finish runner-up to Goosen.