Harrington Hunts Ryder Cup in Reno-Tahoe

Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington starts the Reno-Tahoe Open in Nevada on Thursday hoping victory could set him on a late run for a Ryder Cup place.

He will be encouraged by the absence of the defending champion, home favourite Scott Piercy, who has switched from Reno to the lucrative World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, after qualifying through his one-shot victory in the recent Canadian Open.

After 13 years as a stroke-play event, the Reno-Tahoe organisers have made the unusual switch to a modified Stableford system where points are scored for birdies and eagles.

It is designed to encourage aggressive play on the low-scoring Jack Nicklaus-designed course at the Montreux Golf Club, where the record is 61.

Harrington currently languishes at 28th in the European money list for the Ryder Cup with three tournaments to come before captain Jose Maria Olazabal's selection deadline.

But he will be encouraged by five consecutive top-20 finishes immediately before the Open, where he finished on a modest five over par in a tie for 39th.

His main opposition on the Reno course a mile above sea level could come from US trio John Rollins, JB Holmes and Chris Kirk, who tied for fourth in the Canadian Open, and the in-form South Korean Seung-Yul Noh.

"I obviously would have loved to defend in Reno, but this is a step in the right direction for my career," said Piercy, who, according to PGA Tour regulations, would not have been allowed to defend.

Profile - Melissa Reid - Ladies Irish Open

In 2011, Melissa recorded two wins in the Deloitte Dutch Ladies Open at Broekpolder GC and the Open de España Femenino at La Quinta GC plus six top ten finishes including tied second at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open. She tied for third three times: at Ladies Irish Open, UNIQA Ladies Golf Open and Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open and, finally, tied for fourth at the New Zealand Women’s Open and Turkish Airlines Ladies Open. 

She was a first-time member of the European Solheim Cup team having earned her place on the team by leading the Ladies European Tour's Solheim Cup points' list.

In 2010, broke through with her first victory as a professional at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open at National Golf Club in Belek, Antalya; finished two strokes clear of Iben Tinning and Christel Boeljon. Posted 10 additional top-10 finishes, the most on tour all year, including 2nd at the UniCredit Ladies German Open, tied for 2nd at the S4C Wales Championship, 3rd at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, tied for 3rd at the UNIQA Ladies Golf Open, 4th at the AIB Ladies Irish Open, tied for 6th at the Lalla Meryem Cup, tied for 7th at the Tenerife Ladies Open, tied for 8th at the Allianz Ladies Slovak Open, tied for 9th at the Korean Ladies Masters, tied for 10th at the Open de France Feminin. Finished 3rd on the Henderson Money List: her best position in three years on Tour.

In 2009, Melissa recorded 8 top ten finishes. She posted a season-best of 2nd at the Deutsche Bank Ladies Swiss Open, tied for third at both the Women's Australian Open and HypoVereinsbank Ladies German Open. She finished 7th on the Henderson Money List with season’s earnings of €168,749.67 from 14 events played.

In 2008 Melissa became the Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year, in association with the Bill Johnson Trophy. She finished 2nd three times in 2008, at the ABN AMRO Ladies Open in the Netherlands, the Oxfordshire Ladies English Open and the Nykredit Masters in Denmark.

AMATEUR

Reid was a member of the GB&I team at the 2006 Curtis Cup; a member of the 2005 European PING Junior Solheim Cup Team; the 2007 Commonwealth Team and the 2007 Vagliano Team. Titles that she won include the 2004 and 2005 English Girls’ Championship, the 2006 and 2007 Helen Holm Trophy; the 2007 St Rule Trophy and the 2007 British Amateur Strokeplay Championship at Conway GC. She was Britain’s leading amateur in 2007 and also won the Smyth Salver as the leading amateur at the 2007 Ricoh Women’s British Open, on the Old Course at St Andrews, where she finished tied for 16th. 

PERSONAL

170 cm tall with blonde hair and blue eyes. Resides in Loughborough. Started playing golf at the age of 11 after she could no longer play football with the boys. Interests include snowboarding, playing football and supporting Derby County. Credits Annika Sorenstam, her parents, coach Lawrence Farmer and Sir Clive Woodward as the individuals most influencing her career. Twitter: @melreidgolf

LET VICTORIES 

2010 Turkish Airlines Ladies Open; 2011 Deloitte Dutch Ladies Open, Open de España Femenino.

SOLHEIM CUP

2011