Irish trio have eyes on next year's majors

SOME fours years ago, back in his amateur days, Padraig Harrington savoured the magic of Valderrama for the first time. He didn't trouble the leaders in the Spanish Championship, but the course left a big impression on his young mind.

In yesterday's Pro Am, Harrington the Spanish Open champion birdied the 14th and 15th holes (his last two, the event being played under a shot gun start with the players sprinkled like confetti around the course) for a 74, a reminder of just how tough the terrain is.

Harrington has a busy week ahead. The 25 year old Dubliner is currently in 11th position in the Order of Merit, £4,205 behind Denmark's Thomas Bjorn. The duo are the main protagonists in the battle for the "rookie of the year" award, although Scot Raymond Russell is also in the shake up, £19,648 adrift of the Dane. "With the sort of prizemoney on offer here, that's just a one shot difference if we all play well," commented the Irishman.

Yet, while the distinction of being the first Irishman to claim the Sir Henry Cotton award as top rookie is a target for Harrington, his main ambition is to keep his place in the top 15 of the money list which will gain him entry into next year's US Open and British Open.

"The top 15 is a more realistic goal and more beneficial, really, I'll be very disappointed if I don't manage it," he said. "I obviously want the rookie award too, but if I don't get it, then it will be just hard luck."

McGinley, who is 13th in the money list with £248,200 also has the top 15 place on his mind. "I want to stay where I am or, perhaps, even improve. I badly want that place in the US Open," said the Dubliner, who shot a 73 in yesterday's Pro Am. "The course is perfect, A1 really, and it is a big week for everyone.

McGinley and Darren Clarke arrived here on Sunday and have two practice rounds plus yesterday's Pro Am behind them, although Clarke was disappointed by his performance in the pretournament war up when shooting a 77. "I only managed to hit three greens in regulation, and that's not good enough," he said.

Clarke, however, has the game for Valderrama if he can hit form. He was runner up to Colin Montgomerie in 1993 and Clarke's aggregate of nine under par 275 would have been good enough to win any other Masters. The Ulsterman is seventh in the Order of Merit and a good week's work could move him into the top six which, going on tradition, would be sufficient to earn an invitation to next year's US Masters at Augusta.

There are other financial considerations too for Clarke, Harrington and McGinley. The top 5 players in the Order of Merit will benefit from the "bonus pool", with Montgomerie guaranteed to collect the top pay out of £150,000 for first position. However, the bonus money extends down as far as £12,000 for 5th place. If the Irish players stay in their current positions, the bonus money will be seventh (Clarke). £26,000; 11th (Harrington), £16,000; and 13th (McGinley), £14,000.

The fourth Irishman in the field is Ronan Rafferty, who won the event in 1989. Despite languishing in 86th place in the Order of Merit this season, Rafferty gets into the field because of his category one status.