Padraig Harrington was keen to play down his rivalry with Retief Goosen, the man who last week pipped him for the European Order of Merit title, as the pair prepare to compete in a US$180,000 skins game at the Tanah Merah Country Club in Singapore tomorrow.
"I'm sure we will not see a repeat of what went on over the past few weeks," Harrington said at a news conference today, as the South African nodded in agreement. Goosen only smiled when asked about the rivalry, but Harrington was more forthcoming, saying he felt the media made more of it than actually transpired. "We have learnt our lesson. We need the media as much as the media needs us. But we have to be careful about what we say and to whom," he said.
Goosen and Harrington traded spiteful accusations over who was the slowest on the course as they prepared for last week's season-ending Volvo Masters in Spain where they were the only two contenders for the Order of Merit crown. The name-calling helped neither player as they finished well down the field, although Goosen's 12-over par and 34th place was a stroke better than Harrington and gave him the title.
The skins tournament in Singapore offers the opportunity to win more money but in a slightly more relaxed atmosphere, with the designed-for-television version of the game allocating varying prize money per hole. The first six holes are worth $5,000 each, the amount doubles for the next six holes, and the final six are worth $15,000 each.
Filed by James Boylan.
