Padraig Harrington is planning to miss the European Tour’s Final Series in an attempt to move up the world rankings, unless he wins this week’s Portugal Masters.
The three-time major champion has slipped to world No 159 after only managing two top-10s in 24 starts this year, leaving him with work to do to secure an invite to next year's Masters.
Harrington is well-placed to feature in the season-ending European Tour events, but is looking at playing an alternative schedule to bolster his hopes of playing at Augusta.
"You have to choose what's going to make you play the best in the majors," Harrington told Sky Sports. "At the moment I need to get in to the top 50 in the world to get in to the Masters, but if I won one of the last three in the States I'd get in to.
"If I won here (in Portugal) I could move myself up in to the top 50 and doing something in those events that's worthwhile. There's no point in me just turning up to make up the numbers.
"If I won here then I'd definitely play the ones in Europe, but if I don't I'll go and play those three in the States. My form is pretty good, so if I could manage to win one of them and get in to the Masters that would be a huge bonus."
Harrington made a fast start to his week in Portugal, opening with three consecutive birdies along the back nine on his way to a five-under 66.
"When I got it to six under today I should have pushed on a little bit, so I needed to be a little more confident in my game," Harrington added. "Hopefully a bit of good play will bring that along. "
Watch the Portugal Masters throughout the week live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Coverage continues on Friday from 11.30am.
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