McGinley first into action

GOLF: Paul McGinley's early-season campaign will have a definite American tilt. Of the so-called big-three of Irish golf, including world number nine Darren Clarke and 11th-ranked Padraig Harrington, McGinley will be the first into action.

He competes in next week's Bob Hope Classic - and it is conceivable that he will have played up to nine tournaments in the United States by the time that he plays his first tournament in Europe, the Seve Ballesteros Trophy at Druids Glen in April.

Such a dramatic change in McGinley's itinerary is purely down to his elevated status in the sport. Currently ranked 35th in the world rankings, and guaranteed a place in all four of this year's majors for the first time in his career, he is now an attractive draw and the result is that he has been able to command invitations to almost as many US Tour events as he would desire.

After the Bob Hope Classic at PGA West, McGinley plays in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am two weeks later and the following week's Buick Invitational in San Diego (where he attended college) - and there are encouraging signs that he will also get an invitation into the Nissan Los Angeles Open the week after.

All of which means McGinley will have played four tournaments in five weeks before competing in the WGC-Accenture World Matchplay at La Costa, which takes place on February 11th-17th.

His preparations for a debut appearance in the US Masters at Augusta National in April will also see him concentrate on playing tournaments in the US with dates already confirmed for the Bay Hill Invitational and also a first appearance in the Players' Championship at Sawgrass.

For Harrington, the American West Coast will also see him make his seasonal debut - but some weeks after McGinley, as he doesn't intend to reappear from his winter hibernation (and further work on his game) until just before the World Matchplay.

Clarke, meanwhile, will make his first competitive appearance of 2002 when he defends his title at the Dimension Data Pro-Am on the South African Tour on January 31st-February 3rd. Clarke will also compete in the World Matchplay in La Costa - where he famously beat Tiger Woods in the final two years ago - but he has changed his traditional build-up to the Players Championship at Sawgrass in March by opting to miss the Bay Hill Invitational (on a course which hasn't been too kind to him in recent years) and instead compete back-to-back in the Dubai Desert Classic and the Qatar Masters before flying out to Florida.

All of which means that none of Ireland's big-three will be competing in this week's South African Open, which takes place at Durban Country Club starting on Thursday. The event marks the resumption of the European Tour season (following two events in the Far East prior to Christmas) and the only definite Irish starters will be British Amateur champion Michael Hoey, who has received a special invitation, and South African-based James Loughnane.

Stephen Browne, the European amateur strokeplay champion, who turned professional late last year and finished 11th in his first professional tournament, the South African Players' Championship before Christmas, will attempt to come through the pre-qualifying stages which takes place at two venues today.

Browne has decided to base himself in South Africa for the next two months but it is anticipated he will receive plenty of invitations to play on the European Challenge Tour - and possibly some full tour events - when he returns to this part of the world.

Bell's Whisky joined forces with the European Tour to inject the necessary finance for the South African Open - the second oldest professional tournament in the world - when it appeared likely last month that it would fall by the wayside.

The promoters have been rewarded with an entry that includes US Open champion Retief Goosen and compatriot Ernie Els as well as former British Open champion Paul Lawrie. Mark McNulty of Zimbabwe will defend the title which carries a top prize of €128,000.