Irish Golf Desk

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Smyth wants top start in Hawaii

Million dollar man Des Smyth wants to kick start his Champions Tour season in style in Hawaii.

The Ryder Cup vice captain, 54 next month, only has eyes for victory as he tees it up in the $1.7 million MasterCard Championship in Hualalai tonight.

The affable Drogheda man has amassed an incredible $3.6 million since he joined the senior ranks at the start of 2003 - nearly half a million more than he earned in an entire career on the European Tour.

Winless since 2005, he only has eyes for tournament victories ahead of his 34th season as a pro.

He said: "The money is nice but it is not what motivates me. I really want to win one of those Senior majors before I am finished at his game.

"There are lots of great players joining the Seniors tour every year but I just get on with my own game and try and go out and shoot a score."

This week's winner will take home a cheque for $290,000 as the veterans get set to battle for a total official prize money of $54.1 million this season.