Padraig Harrington aims to finish on top in Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship – Golf News
Following a top-10 finish at the Volvo Golf Champions at The Links and Fancourt, Padraig Harrington is now looking forward to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, scheduled from January 26-29, 2012, at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
This is the same place where he was disqualified from the tournament, despite his superb opening round performance of a seven-under par 65. He was found guilty of moving the ball after it was addressed on the green.
The same thing happened with Camilo Villegas, a week prior to Harrington’s disqualification.
After a long debate and criticism from golf experts, the R&A made changes to the rules, so that no one can be disqualified from a tournament and is penalised during the event only.
According to the recent rule, only a single shot is added to the player’s score if he is found guilty of cheating.
Despite everything that happened last year, Harrington was not much bothered. He said that he was ready to play in the event again.
"I don't think Abu Dhabi owes me anything,” he said. “That's not how golf works. I'm only concerned about things within my control and, in that regard, Abu Dhabi has been good to me scoring-wise in the past”.
“So, it's just nice to be going back this week to a golf course where I've played well. Only this year for the first time, I go there with four competitive rounds under my belt," he added.
The event will be featuring top four players in the Official World Golf Rankings, major champions, including Keegan Bradley and the resurgent Tiger Woods.
Therefore, the event will offer some good ratings to the players with good finishes in the end.
Harrington has a good chance to register another good finish in the tournament and rank himself in the top 64 in the world’s rankings.
This will earn him a place in the first World Golf Championship of the season, the Accenture Match Play Championship. In addition, this will also help him make a run for the top-50 in a bid to receive an invitation for the Masters Tournament in April, 2012.
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