Harrington reaches Ryder destiny

By the natural evolution of things, Padraig Harrington was always destined to compete in the Ryder Cup. Yesterday, in a German setting far removed from the Irish links courses that honed his game, and a week before his 28th birthday, he booked his ticket to next month's shindig in Boston.

And he did it the hard way. Like a thoroughbred reserving his final thrust for the last furlong, Harrington - for the second week running - finished runner-up in a PGA European Tour event and earned enough points to manoeuvre his way into the 10th, and last, automatic place on the team to give Ireland two representatives (along with Darren Clarke) on Europe's team to meet the United States at Brookline on September 24th-26th.

There are hard luck stories, too, in these situations. The fall guy was Sweden's Robert Karlsson, who had been positioned delicately on the bubble heading into the BMW International, the last counting tournament, and who was leapfrogged by the Irishman.

Two weeks ago, Harrington was a distant 16th in the table, but his purple patch of recent weeks (second in the West of Ireland Classic and second again in the BMW) eventually enabled him to finish 434 points ahead of Karlsson. And there was further heartache for the Swede when, later, he failed to secure one of the captain's two wild card picks.

Indeed, Mark James, the European captain, dropped something of a bombshell in announcing his two choices. Jesper Parnevik was a certainty for one pick and, in fact, was told as much by James at last week's US PGA in Medinah. So assured, he didn't bother to make the last-ditch trip to Munich.

Although the rumour mill had been working hard on a hot afternoon, James's other choice - bringing the number of "rookies" in the team to seven - caused a few jaws to drop. Although Karlsson and veteran Bernhard Langer were the other two players in the shake-up, James said he "anguished long and hard" in finally opting for Scotland's Andrew Coltart, who had finished 12th in the qualifying table.

"I feel Andrew has probably played more consistently than other possible wild card choices since the US Open and has as strong a case as anybody," remarked James, who added: "Everyone said Sergio (Garcia) made my job easier last week by making the team, but it actually made it harder."

Having departed the scene knowing he hadn't made the team by conventional means, Coltart discovered his call-up upon touchdown at Heathrow last evening.

"I'm surprised and delighted," said Coltart. "This makes all the hard work worthwhile. I never gave up fighting to get into the team because I wanted it so hard." It promises to be a memorable month: his wife, Emma, is expecting their first child two weeks before the fray.

And seven rookies? Compared to just one American rookie, and that the world number two David Duval? James was unfazed. "I know they can play golf, but I think they will be able to play under pressure . . . and that is what counts in the Ryder Cup," insisted James.

Harrington, meanwhile, ensured that his destiny was in his hands. But a rocky start - after which he had dropped four shots in four holes - meant he was forced to show his true character.

"I was pretty low then," said Harrington, "but I knew all I had to do was to play my own game and to keep my focus." It worked, and he covered the rest of the journey in four-under. His performance drew rich praise from his playing partner, Colin Montgomerie, who won the tournament.

"He'll be a great asset to the team," said Monty, of the Irish rookie. "Padraig putts very well and he seems to have a good focus. It is always difficult to play well in matchplay against a good putter, and he is a very good putter. To win a hole in the Ryder Cup you invariably have to hole a putt, and he is good at that."

James, too, was fulsome generous in his admiration of the latest Irish recruit to the Ryder Cup. "Padraig today was under the most severe pressure, had that bad start and coped with it. He came through and delivered the goods. He is a player who, if he has a four-footer at the right time, won't leave me sweating. He will knock it in."

For his part, Harrington - who played in three Walker Cups as an amateur - was fulfilling a natural progression in his professional career which has already seen him compete in the Dunhill Cup and the World Cup, which he won in partnership with Paul McGinley in 1997.

Indeed, he is continuing a rich tradition which Irish players have contributed to the Ryder Cup down the years.

"I know that every player has contributed his part, but, for me, the inspiration has to be Christy O'Connor Senior," Harrington said. "I had the privilege of watching him practice about 10 years ago and he is just unbelievable, and when you go into the room at Royal Dublin and see pictures of his 10 appearances - then, you know what sort of history you are following in."

More immediately, Harrington's elevation to Ryder Cup status brings an entry to the World Golf Championship in Akron this week. And he has also jumped to ninth place in the European Order of Merit. Two years ago, Harrington narrowly missed out on a place on the European team for Valderrama. Now, he has come of age in that context.

"I'm on such a high that I probably won't come down for a few days," said Harrington. In the circumstances, that's allowed.