Harrington hopeful of fast start to 2004 season

Ireland's Padraig Harrington will make his debut at the $700,000 Hong Kong Open which begins on Thursday, the first event of the 2004 European PGA Tour.

The world number 10, the highest-ranked player in a strong field assembled for a tournament jointly sanctioned by the Asian PGA Tour, will be hoping to start the new season the same way he began the 2003 campaign.

Twelve months ago Harrington won the European Tour season-opener in Taiwan, the Asian Open.

"I have never actually played in Hong Kong and that is one of the reasons why I have come here," Harrington, 32, told reporters on Wednesday. "I have always looked to play golf around the world and in new countries.

"It is a strong field taking part but I will be minding my own game and hoping to be in a position to win on the final day," added the Irishman who has won seven times in Europe, including twice last season when he finished third on the money list.

Among the favourites for the $113,000 top prize at the par-70, 6,768-yard Fanling course at the Hong Kong Golf Club are Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and defending champion Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden.

Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal, who won here in 2001, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, South Korean KJ Choi, England's Nick Faldo and Michael Campbell of New Zealand have also entered.

Clarke, second on the European money list last season, finished fourth in the Sun City Challenge in South Africa on Sunday.

"I need to try and get over the jet lag as quickly as I can. I have watched the tournament over the past couple of years on television and, although I have not played here, I know some of the holes," said world number 11 Clarke.

Swede Jacobson is hoping for a repeat win. "This place is always going to be special for me as it is here that I won my first European Tour event," he said.

"I have had a great year since then," added Jacobson, who went on to win two more titles in 2003 to climb up to 16th in the world rankings.

Asia's challenge will be led by India's Arjun Atwal and China's Zhang Lianwei, numbers one and two respectively on the Asian PGA Tour order of merit.

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