Harrington fears Hong Kong ding-dong

Padraig Harrington fears he could spark a family ding dong by adding Hong Kong to his schedule.

Singapore is next up for HarringtonThe Dubliner is a massive €1.18m behind new Race to Dubai leader Lee Westwood despite finishing third in the Portugal Masters.

And he’s prepared to try and win his THREE remaining events worth a potential €1.96m rather than cancel a family holiday to earn a possible €275,000 in next month's Hong Kong Open.

Looking ahead, Harrington said: "I go home to Ireland for a week followed by Singapore, Shanghai and Dubai.
Hong Kong is the week after Shanghai but I’ve a family holiday planned that week.

"Would I add Hong Kong? Whether I would or not I’m not going to tell you because I’d be shot for saying it!"

Harrington is riding a red-hot wave of form that has seen him rack up seven top-10 finishes in his last eight starts and move from 17th to sixth in the world.

But he’s 15th in the Race to Dubai and reckons he must win his next three events to have any chance of capturing the Harry Vardon Trophy for the second time.

Westwood’s win in Vilamoura saw him knock Rory McIlroy off top spot in the Race to Dubai and move €209,245 clear of the Holywood star.

The top two head to Spain next week for the Volvo World Match Play near Marbella with Harrington resuming his Race to Dubai chase in the clashing Barclays Singapore Open.

All three will then play the WGC- HSBC Champions in Shanghai but while McIlroy will take in the UBS Hong Kong Open before heading to the season-ending Dubai World Championship, Harrington has planned a family holiday in Dubai that week.

A win for Westwood in the World Match Play would make it mission impossible for Harrington.

But the Dubliner hopes he can win in Singapore and then pick up wins in Shanghai and Dubai as well rather than hope for help from his rivals.

He said: "I don’t want to win the Race to Dubai without playing well. I just have to win my last three events. It’d be a better way to do it rather than wishing somebody else doesn’t perform. The same goes for Rory. I just hope I play better."

McIlroy had a nightmare week on the greens in Portugal, where he finished 30th despite a closing 66.

But he insisted that his confidence with the putter has not been shattered and believes he still has a chance of becoming the youngest European No 1 in history.

McIlroy said: "I’ve been putting well the last few weeks so I am not going to let one bad week get in the way of everything good that I’ve done.

"I don’t think it would have knocked my confidence that badly. The greens obviously weren’t the best.

"Lee is playing very well but here’s still four big tournaments left for me to try and get back in and hopefully I can do well in them."