Harrington Disappointed to Miss BMW

Harrington at R&A clinic in Sunningdale

Padraig Harrington has spoken of his frustration at being forced out of this week's BMW PGA Championship through injury.

The Dubliner has been sidelined by a knee injury and admits he is "absolutely gutted" to miss the European Tour's flagship event at Wentworth.

Indeed, such is his disappointment that the 39-year-old has decided to spend this weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix rather than put himself through the agony of watching.

"It's so hard, especially when I was starting to feel good at the weekend," he stated.

"I was thinking I might have pulled out a bit early, but it's gone from acute pain to persistent niggling pain and it seems the physios know a thing or two."

"I've never been to a Grand Prix, but I can't sit at home watching another tournament and I'm basically going to have a week's holiday to get me away from the temptation of practising." 

Padraig HarringtonQuotes of the week

Harrington was at nearby Sunningdale on Tuesday in his role as a Royal and Ancient Club ambassador for a clinic with schoolchildren brought together by the Golf Foundation charity.

He also found time to attend the European Tour's awards dinner at a Heathrow hotel last night, but from there it was off to Monte Carlo rather than Wentworth.

"I've never been to a Grand Prix, but I can't sit at home watching another tournament and I'm basically going to have a week's holiday to get me away from the temptation of practising," he added.

Harrington expects to reacquaint himself with his clubs next week when he makes a trip to this year's Open Championship venue, Sandwich.

Meanwhile, his next tournament appearance will be in Memphis at the St Jude Classic on June 9th - 12th, a week before the US Open.

Tiger Agent Mark Steinberg Leaves IMG

Tiger Woods and Mark Steinberg

Mark Steinberg, the agent for Tiger Woods the last 12 years and head of the IMG golf division, did not renew his contract this week and is no longer with the sports management company.

IMG announced a reorganisation of its golf division Tuesday evening, with Steinberg no longer involved. The move could lead to Woods leaving Cleveland-based IMG, which has represented him his entire career.

Steinberg's contract was to expire in June.

He was negotiating a new deal with IMG on Tuesday when talks broke down, according to two officials aware of the discussions. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release information.

Steinberg did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The officials said Woods and Annika Sorenstam would be free to leave IMG and stay with Steinberg if they wanted. Woods signed with IMG when he turned pro in August 1996, and Steinberg became his agent three years later.

At a press conference earlier Tuesday to promote the AT&T National outside Philadelphia, Woods was asked about his future with IMG and with Steinberg.

"I'm committed to both, with IMG, and Mark's my agent," Woods said. "It's been a great relationship. I had a chance to go through a lot of ... basically my entire professional career and learn a lot about the business."

Woods spoke of going to several dinners with IMG founder Mark H. McCormack until he died in 2003.

"Then obviously, my relationship with Mark (Steinberg)," he said. "But I'm very happy with both."

Woods has a close relationship with Steinberg, a reserve on the Illinois basketball team that went to the Final Four in 1989. If he were to leave IMG and stay with Steinberg, it likely would not make much of a difference in his golf schedule or even his endorsements, as Steinberg did most of that work.

Steinberg has been actively seeking an endorsement for Woods' bag since late last fall.

In a two-sentence press release Tuesday evening, IMG said Guy Kinnings and Robbie Henchman would be co-heads of IMG Golf. Kinnings was senior vice president of European golf operations, while Henchman was senior vice president of golf in Asia Pacific.

Alastair Johnston, the vice chairman of IMG, will oversee the business of the golf division.

IMG's billionaire owner, 71-year-old Ted Forstmann, is battling brain cancer. 

In an interview published Tuesday in The New York Times, Forstmann said he wants to build IMG "quicker than I was going to" so he can pour the money into a charitable trust and give it away.

Garcia Forced out of Open Qualifier

Sergio Garcia

England’s Brian Davis topped the qualifiers for the British Open after a six under par round of 64 at the Gleneagles Club in Plano, Texas as Sergio Garcia was forced out with an infected fingernail.

Davis finished one shot ahead of American Chad Campbell as heavy rain forced the qualifier to be reduced from 36 holes to 18. No longer exempt after falling out of the world’s top 50, Garcia was on level par when he quit after four holes.

Runner-up to Padraig Harrington at Carnoustie four years ago after bogeying the final hole and then losing a play-off, the 31-year-old Spaniard could still make it to Sandwich in July through upcoming events.

But now 73rd in the world — he was second behind Tiger Woods just over two years ago — he has also entered a qualifying event in Memphis on June 6th for the US Open the following week.

Joining Davis and Campbell in July will be Australia’s Nathan Green who shot a 66, a score matched by Americans Davis Love III, Spencer Levin, Chris Tidland and Bob Estes. The final spot on offer went to a Jerry Kelly after a play-off.