
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (PA) -- Rivals Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia will not be seeing much of each other on the opening two days of this week's Abu Dhabi Championship.
The pair will be playing the same event for the first time since Harrington said last month he had "zero in common" with his Ryder Cup teammate.
However, the draw for the first 36 holes sees the British Open and PGA Championship winner paired with defending champion Martin Kaymer and Swede Henrik Stenson, with Garcia in the other half of the field alongside Paul Casey and Oliver Wilson.
Ever since Harrington beat Garcia in a playoff for the 2007 British Open, their rivalry has grown. And though Garcia is one place ahead of the Dubliner at second in the world rankings, Harrington got the better of him again at last August's PGA Championship.
"We have zero in common, bar the fact that we both play golf," Harrington stated. "He is the antithesis of me and I am the antithesis of him. We're also competitors who for the last few years have been vying over who is the No. 1 golfer in Europe.
"I think in the hearts and minds of a lot of people Garcia would have been No. 1, while I have been ranked No. 1," he added. "As you can imagine, no quarter is given.
"It is not as if we have ever had a row or a run-in," he explained. "I have had plenty of run-ins with people and we would be friends, but it is just, well, we are just so much the opposite of each other."
Copyright 2009 PA Sport. All rights reserved.
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