Harrington carrying the flag for Europe
Wednesday, 23 April 2003 09:49Europe could soon be left without a single player inside the top 10 of golf's world rankings with Ireland's Padraig Harrington the only European remaining on the list. However, even Harrington's place there is under threat as he currently lies in 10th spot with the likes of Nick Price, Chris DiMarco, Justin Leonard and Scott Hoch hot on his heels. Sergio Garcia and Colin Montgomerie recently dropped out of the top 10 after particularly woeful starts to 2003. Garcia has slipped from fourth to 11th this season, Montgomerie from 10th to 19th by surviving only one halfway cut so far.
No European has won a Major since Paul Lawrie captured the 1999 Open at Carnoustie and none has been world number one since Nick Faldo in early 1994 and with Harrington not in action again until the Benson & Hedges International Open at The Belfry in two weeks' time, the top 10 could soon be without a European for the first time in its 17-year-history.
Europe's top players have been slipping over the past couple of years - Jose Maria Olazabal, Faldo and Thomas Bjorn are not in the leading 50 any more and Ian Woosnam is down to 99th, while Jesper Parnevik has slumped to 126th, Lee Westwood is outside the top 200 and Seve Ballesteros can only dream of being that high again after four years in which he has made only a handful of cuts.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
