Harrington sets sights on place in world top 50

For someone who keeps his personal targets safely locked into his laptop computer, rather than close to his chest, Padraig Harrington has almost let his guard down in confessing that "yes, I'm focused on getting a place in the top-50 in the world rankings." He's getting closer. Yesterday's latest batch sees the Dubliner move up to 58th in the world, his highest ranking yet in a four-year professional career.

Taking a week off before setting out on a five-week campaign that will take in the Volvo Masters, the AmEx World Championship (both in Spain), the Johnnie Walker Classic (in Taiwan), the World Cup (in Malaysia) and stretch his season to a final tournament in Argentina, Harrington insists there is still plenty of room for improvement - and even claims that parts of his game were better in the past! "I have to say that I'm swinging the club a lot worse now than I was earlier in the year, and that's a fact," he says. Such a statement may seem a touch bizarre given his form since August which has seen him finish runner-up in three tournaments - the West of Ireland Classic, the BMW International and the German Masters. He also reached the semi-final of the World Matchplay at Wentworth last weekend and, of course, became one of only three Europeans to win their singles matches at the Ryder Cup.

However, his stated dissatisfaction with his form has to be taken in context of his work ethic and quest for constant improvement.

"In terms of my swing, I'm working on the right things and going in the right direction. But it is a new swing, and it takes a while to learn where mistakes are coming from. I'm still learning.

"Parts of my game were better two years ago. I had a far better short game. I'd say I had a 10 times better short game in my last couple of years as an amateur than I do now. Swingwise, I'm far better than I was over the years but not quite as good as I was at the start of the year. But I'm getting there."

In his attempt to eke out a reason for his much-improved form of recent months, and Colin Montgomerie's assertion that he has grown "into a world player," Harrington believes much of it has to do with confidence. "In the last three months, maybe I have a little bit more confidence. I'm no different a player than I was. But I am more confident. No matter who I'm playing with, or who I'm playing against, I'm just going out there and doing my stuff and that's it.

"I'm 100 times better mentally at the moment than I was at the start of the year. All these things change, you never seem to get everything together at once." So it is that Harrington makes the trip back to his coach Bob Torrance in Largs on the west coast of Scotland whenever he finds a free week in his schedule to continue fine-tuning the "new" swing, and this Thursday evening he will be feted by Mount Juliet, where he is attached as the touring professional, for his performance in last month's Ryder Cup at Brookline. Next week, it is back to business.

Other Irish tour players will not be idle this week either. Darren Clarke, now ranked 21st in the world, has decided to play in the Belgacom Open at Royal Zoute this week in his bid to overtake Harrington in the European Order of Merit: as things stand, Harrington (£513,291) is placed sixth and Clarke (£460,960) is a place further back in seventh.

Clarke is one of five Irishmen in the field and, for one of them, this tournament represents the last chance saloon in terms of retaining his card without recourse to the European Tour's Final Qualifying School next month. Philip Walton requires a top-three finish in Belgium if he is to keep his card. The other Irish players in action are Des Smyth, Eamonn Darcy and Paul McGinley.

Meanwhile, Richie Coughlan won't be returning to the US Tour next year. He missed out on the first phase of the American qualifying process last week, and will compete in the next stage of the European Tour qualifying in France next week.

Coughlan, who safely negotiated the PQI stage, will be joined by David Higgins, Peter Lawrie, Gary Murphy, John Dwyer, Jim Carvill and James Loughnane in the PQII process next week from which the survivors will progress on to the final qualifying in Spain next month when tickets to the 2000 European Tour will be up for grabs. About 100-120 players will be competing at three venues in France (Pals, Emporda and Peralada) with approximately 30 from each course moving on to the final qualifying school.

Contrary to some recent reports, the Johnnie Walker Classic at the Westin Ta-Shee resort in Taiwan on November 11th-14th - which will be the first counting event for next year's European Tour Order of Merit - will go ahead, despite the recent earthquake in the country.

Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh are among those committed to playing and the organisers have decided that all ticket sales and souvenir merchandise sales will be donated to the earthquake fund.

Many players have also pledged to donate equipment and memorabilia for a special auction to raise funds.