GOLF: Padraig Harrington has swapped a beach in Spain for the tourist sights of Rome in his bid to become European number one. The Dubliner had planned to be on holiday in Marbella this week before winning the Dunhill Links Championship seven days after helping Europe regain the Ryder Cup at The Belfry.
The £500,000 first prize gave Harrington the chance to overhaul last year's winner Retief Goosen at the top of the money list, and the pair are separated by just under £34,000 going into the final two events.
Harrington can overhaul the South African, who is playing in the US Tour championship this week, with a top-four finish in the Italian Open on Sunday, although even a victory will still see the race go down the final event, the Volvo Masters at Valderrama, next week.
"I'm meant to be on holiday in Marbella at the minute but I can tell you, Rome is pretty nice," said Harrington, who finished second in the Order of Merit last year after beating Ryder Cup team-mate Paul McGinley to the Volvo Masters with a birdie on the final green.
"I did the full tour on Tuesday night at about 11:30 in the evening. I was driving round the city with (Italian player) Marcello Santi showing us all the sights, the Vatican was totally empty and we saw the Colisseum and the Trevi fountain.
"The Order of Merit is very important, when you come to the end of the year everyone is focused on it, whether it's to get their tour card, get into the top 60, or to try to win it.
"The last six weeks is when it comes into focus and you're jockeying for position. Earlier on in the season you are trying to do as well as you can and win as many tournaments but it's certainly an aspiration of mine to win the Order of Merit. Now I'm in a position that I can do it I've got to give it everything I can."
Harrington missed a chance to overhaul Goosen last week when he went into the final round in Madrid a shot ahead of the field, only to stumble to a closing one-over 72 and a share of seventh alongside the former US Open champion.
"I could look back on last week as a missed opportunity but it's only when everything finishes when you can go back and say that was it," Harrington added. "It certainly was disappointing on the last day but I'm happy it happened that Sunday rather than at the Dunhill Links where I wouldn't have a chance if I hadn't won.
"The goal is to do as well as I can in this tournament and focus on the Italian Open. It would be wrong to try to play the Order of Merit this week, I've got to play the tournament and take each shot as it comes. It's not easy to do but to be honest I think last week I did it quite well. I really didn't think about the Order of Merit until I'd finished every round and then the tournament. At all stages I was trying to win the event. The focus was good there and I've got to do the same again."
While Harrington attempts to move to the top of the money list, many of the other players in the 120-man field are simply fighting for the right to play on the tour next season. The top 115 on the Order of Merit earn full playing rights for the 2003 season and this week's event at Olgiata Golf Club outside Rome, is the last chance to get into that top 115.
