Harrington to start 2021 in Middle East

Pádraig Harrington

Ryder Cup skipper Pádraig Harrington will begin 2021 with back to back European Tour appearances in the Middle East.

The three-time major winner will join Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship from January 21-24 before going on to tee it up in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, where Lowry and McDowell also start, at the Emirates Golf Club the following week.

McIlroy’s absence from the field for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic would indicate that, as expected, he’s likely to play the clashing Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, which is scheduled to host the US Open from June 17-20.

The entry list for Abu Dhabi is strong with McIlroy and American Justin Thomas joined by a host of European stars including Lowry, McDowell, Tyrrell Hatton, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Victor Perez, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, Bernd Wiesberger, Ian Poulter, Matt Wallace, Robert Macintyre and Andy Sullivan.

Lowry and McDowell, who is defending champion, are also scheduled to play Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers but it may be March—when the Tour visits Oman, Qatar and Kenya— before Ireland’s lesser lights appear on tour.

Ardglass’ Cormac Sharvin is 12th reserve for Abu Dhabi and 24th reserve for Dubai with Jonny Caldwell, Paul Dunne, Gavin Moynihan and Niall Kearney all well down the list.