Triple major winner Padraig Harrington wants to become the first man to win the Race to Dubai and earn a possible €4 million pay-day

The Race to Dubai will feature a record 53 events in 26 countries as players battle for possible $5.6m (€4m) pay-off at the end of 2009.

And Harrington will be making a special effort to become the inaugural winner and add another trophy to his mantelpiece.

Now trailing Dunhill Links winner Robert Karlsson in this year's Order of Merit race, Harrington said: "I know many of the pros, including myself are looking at our schedules to give ourselves the best chance of going out there and winning that.

"I have obviously a very tight schedule on both sides of the world. I would definitely like to give myself a good chance of winning that, especially in the first year. Being the first guy to win it would be a nice achievement."

"The Race" will begin with next month's HSBC Champions in Shanghai and end with the $20m (€14.7m) Dubai World Championship from 19-22 November next year.

Replacing the old Order of Merit and the season-ending Volvo Masters, the top 60 in the money list will qualify for the $10m (€7.35 m) Dubai World Championship.

The winner of the Dubai World Championship will take home $3.6m (€2.6m) while a bonus pool of $10m (euro 7.4m) will be split by the top 15 money winners at the end of the season with the winner banking another $2m (€1.47m).

Harrington added: "It is going to be one of the best events in the world which is great for the other events in Europe, because they have this event to live up to. So it will bring up the standard of all events.

"I also think that the bonus pool is a good idea because it will catch players attention and they will want to go out there and win it."

Harrington finished tied 13th in the Dunhill Links and was relegated to second place in the Order of Merit by winner Robert Karlsson.

The Swede now leads Harrington by euro 142,425 with Lee Westwood euro 350,546 behind in third place.

Harrington won't play again until the Volvo Masters at the end of the month but Karlsson and Westwood will be in action in next week's Portugal Masters at Vilamoura, where the winner will earn euro €500,000.

Race to Dubai 2008-2009
2008

November
6-9 HSBC Champions, Shanghai, China
20-23 UBS Hong Kong Open
27-30 Australian Masters, Melbourne

December
11-14 Alfred Dunhill Championship, Leopard Creek, South Africa
18-21 South African Open Championship, Pearl Valley Golf Estates, South Africa

2009

January
8-11 Joburg Open, Royal Johannesburg & Kensington GC, South Africa
15-18 Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, UAE
22-25 Commercialbank Qatar Masters, Qatar
29-Feb 1 Dubai Desert Classic, UAE

February
5-8 EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters, New Delhi, India
12-15 Maybank Malaysian Open TBA
19-22 Johnnie Walker Classic, Perth, Western Australia
25-1 Mar WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship, Marana, USA
26-1 Mar Indonesia Open, Bali, Indonesia

March
12-15 WGC – CA Championship, Doral, Florida, USA
19-22 Madeira Islands Open
26-29 Open de Andalucia TBA

April
2-5 Estoril Open de Portugal, Oitavos Dunes, Estoril
9-12 MASTERS TOURNAMENT, Augusta National, USA
16-19 Volvo China Open, Beijing, China
23-26 Ballantine's Championship, Jeju Island, South Korea
30-3 May Open de España TBA

May
7-10 Italian Open TBA
14-17 The Irish Open TBA
21-24 BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, Wentworth, England
28-31The European Open TBA

June
4-7 The Celtic Manor Wales Open, South Wales
11-14 Austrian Golf Open, Vienna, Austria
18-21 US OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, Bethpage State Park (Black Course), New York, USA
18-21 SAINT-OMER OPEN, Lumbres, France
25-28 BMW International Open, Munich, Germany

July
2-5 Open de France, Le Golf National, Paris, France
9-12 The Barclays Scottish Open, Loch Lomond, Scotland
16-19 THE 138th OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, Turnberry, Scotland
23-26 SAS Masters, Barsebäck, Sweden
30-2 Aug Czech Golf Open, Čeladná, Czech Republic

August
6-9 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational, Akron, USA
13-16 US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, Hazeltine National GC, Minnesota, USA
13-16 The English Open, St Mellion International Resort, Cornwall, England
20-23 The KLM Open, Kennemer, The Netherlands
27-30 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, Scotland

September
3-6 Omega European Masters, Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland
10-13 Mercedes-Benz Championship, Cologne, Germany
17-20 British Masters,TBA
24-27 Canal + Open, TBA
24-27 Volvo World Match Play Championship, Finca Cortesin GC, Malaga, Spain

October
1-4 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, Scotland
8-11 Madrid Masters, Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, Spain
8-11 *Seve Trophy TBA
15-18 Portugal Masters, Vilamoura, Portugal
22-25 Castello Masters, Valencia, Spain
29-1 Nov TBA TBA

November
5-8 HSBC Champions, Shanghai, China
12-15 UBS Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong GC, Fanling, Hong Kong
19-22 THE DUBAI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, Earth Course, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE
26-29 *Omega Mission Hills World Cup, Mission Hills GC, China

* Denotes Approved Special Event