Sport

Harrington sees Merit in Karlsson's consistency

Pádraig Harrington has laid down the gauntlet to European Tour Order of Merit leader Robert Karlsson ahead of the 21st and final…

Tue Oct 28 2008 - 00:00

Pádraig Harrington has laid down the gauntlet to European Tour Order of Merit leader Robert Karlsson ahead of the 21st and final Volvo Masters at Valderrama.

Despite trailing his Ryder Cup partner by €297,425, the Dubliner knows that the record top prize of €708,000 could push him past the tall Swede to regain the Harry Vardon Trophy he won in 2006.

Harrington paid tribute to Karlsson's consistency this season that has brought him back-to-back victories and 12 top-10 finishes in accumulating €2,695,248.
 
"Robert has performed more consistently in Europe than I have throughout the year, so consistency wise, and that's what an Order of Merit is, he probably deserves it. But that doesn't mean he gets it. We have to wait until Sunday to sort that out," said Harrington.
 
"I know what I need to do this week, or more or less what I need to do.  I've got to go out there and try and win the tournament, and there are two bonuses with that: if I win the tournament, I win the Order of Merit. So that's what's in my mind for the week," he added.

Tee times for Thursday were announced today and Harrington will be straight into a head-to-head battle with the Swede as they get underway at the back of the field at 11.55am (Irish time).

READ MORE

First round tee-times (Irish time, Gbr & Irl unless stated): 0715Justin Rose; 0725 Markus Brier (Aut), Thomas Levet (Fra); 0735 Ignacio Garrido (Spa), Robert Jan Derksen (Ned); 0745 Simon Dyson, Steve Webster; 0755 Anders Hansen (Den), Anthony Wall.

0805Jose Manuel Lara (Spa), Oliver Fisher; 0815 David Lynn, Jean-Francois Lucquin (Fra); 0825 Mark Brown (USA), Graeme Storm; 0835 Gregory Bourdy (Fra), John Bickerton; 0845 David Howell, Andres Romero (Arg); 0855 Nick Dougherty, Felipe Aguilar (Chi).

0905Paul Lawrie, Peter Lawrie; 0915 Hennie Otto (Rsa), Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (Spa); 0925 Rory McIlroy, Alexander Noren (Swe); 0935 Gregory Havret (Fra), Peter Hedblom (Swe); 0945 Scott Strange (Aus), Damien McGrane; 0955 Soren Kjeldsen (Den), Richard Green (Aus).

1005Colin Montgomerie, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa); 1015 Alvaro Quiros (Spa), Paul McGinley; 1025 Francesco Molinari (Ita), Paul Casey; 1035 Ian Poulter, Richard Finch; 1045 Peter Hanson (Swe), Pablo Larrazabal (Spa); 1055 James Kingston (Rsa), Soren Hansen (Den).

1105 Darren Clarke, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind); 1115 Oliver Wilson, Sergio Garcia (Spa); 1125 Martin Kaymer (Ger), Graeme McDowell; 1135 Ross Fisher, Henrik Stenson (Swe); 1145 Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Lee Westwood; 1155 Pádraig Harrington,Robert Karlsson (Swe)