GOLF WORLD CHALLENGE:IN THE absence of Tiger Woods, Pádraig Harrington is the only one in the 18-man field of the Chevron World Challenge that can join the world number one and host as a multiple winner of the €3.6 million event.

The Dubliner won the event at Thousand Oaks in southern California in 2002 and yesterday evening he did his hopes of repeating the feat no harm with a three-under-par 69.

While most of the running was made by his playing partner Lee Westwood and then Ian Poulter in the final group, Harrington played a typically solid game, carding just one bogey and finishing strongly when the newly-installed world number four faltered badly.

Harrington said afterwards he was the only previous winner in the field “because Tiger wins it most years”, but admitted his previous on the course is a positive.

“I suppose that’s a nice thing. But there’re plenty of good guys here, plenty of winners here as well,” said the three-time Major winner.

“It is nice that I have some track record on the course as well and I feel good about my own chances going forward.”

Poulter, however, was leading the field on six under through 16. The Englishman played the front nine in five under par and picked up another birdie at the 10th before hitting a bit of a speed bump at the 13th and 14th.

He recovered at the 15th to stay on course for a very impressive round, without having birdied any of the par fives.

Graeme McDowell was slow to start but was one under through 17, while playing partner Steve Stricker – the highest ranked player in the field at third in the world – was on the same score with one to play.

Sean O’Hair and Justin Leonard were first into the clubhouse, the former on one under and the latter at level par after a costly double bogey at the 15th.

Canada’s Mike Weir once looked out of the reckoning on five over but put four consecutive birdies together on the way in to finish with a 73.

Paul Casey, who has missed much of the season with a rib injury, is propping up the leaderboard on three over after struggling to an opening round of 75.