Three-time Major champions Padraig Harrington and Ernie Els are aiming to go one better in the Barclays Singapore Open which starts Thursday.

The duo had finished joint-second in last year's tournament. Both of them missed makeable birdie putts on the final hole that would have forced a play-off with champion Jeev Milkha Singh from India.

Harrington and Els, ranked sixth and 22nd in the world respectively, will be up against fellow Major winners Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy and Michael Campbell in the star-studded US$5 million tournament which is being joint-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour for the first time.

There are 118 winners from the two Tours competing at the Sentosa Golf Club's Serapong Course starting from Thursday.

Harrington, who also tied second with Els in August at The Barclays in New York, is targeting a victory to kick-start his bid to win the Race to Dubai. "I came very close last year and had it to win at the end but it wasn't to be. I think every fairway I have walked down this week the ball spotters have all reminded me that I hit it into the water on 16! I had forgotten that - I could only remember three-putting the last," said Harrington.

"But these things happen and although it is a slightly different golf course this year I hope I will be there or thereabouts come Sunday and I can make the right things happen coming down the stretch."

The Irishman has enjoyed a late season surge in form in Europe and the United States and feels that a first win of the year is just a few putts away. "My season has really been in two halves. The first six months weren't good performance-wise when I was working on my game. I have played well the last three months but without a win. It's nice to be playing well but I really want to win," he said.

He believes the co-sanctioning of the Barclays Singapore Open will greatly benefit the Asian stars. "It's great for the European players but good for the Asian Tour as well. If you have an Asian player that beats Phil Mickelson then the next time he goes to America he knows that he can beat Phil Mickelson instead of going up against him for the first time in a foreign land and being out of his comfort zone," said Harrington.

Els, known as the "Big Easy", is hoping that golf life does indeed start at 40 in his first tournament since celebrating his birthday on October 17. And he is determined to put right a winless season.

"I came close a number of times, I feel good here. You have to play very controlled golf and remain patient. I have done well here in the past so I am looking for a win. It goes without saying I'd love to go one better," said Els, who lost a three-hole playoff to Adam Scott in 2006.

"I've played quite a few tournaments in Asia and believe me this is as good as it gets. The sponsorship by Barclays is top notch - they really look after us and put on a great show. Just the quality and the way everything is set-up and run is world class, basically."

The South African is likely to put a new putter in the bag in his quest for a first Singapore title. "I have two putters here and I would like to get a putter that will help me over the finish line this week. If I can make some putts maybe I can get some low scores going. I am hitting it really nice. I am feeling really good about my game," said Els.

He added that life does not feel any different after turning 40. "It is amazing I am 40 because I was always the young guy on tour now I am definitely the veteran. I still feel healthy and strong and I have a lot of golf left in me. I have won 60 events round the world and three Majors so I cannot complain," said Els.

World number 12 Ogilvy is out to make an impression in his debut at the Barclays Singapore Open, an event he has heard a lot about after compatriot Adam Scott won it in succession in 2005 and 2006.

"This has become one of the biggest events in the world. It has one of the best fields of the year," said Ogilvy. "This tournament has built up so quickly, ever since Adam first came in 2005. Now everyone wants to play here."

The 2006 US Open champion is currently fifth on the European Tour's Race to Dubai
and a good showing this week will keep him in the hunt for top spot.

"It's a big tournament, so a good one to play well in. We won the pro-am this morning and I played very well. Hit three or four pretty wild shots though," said Ogilvy, twice a winner on the US PGA Tour this season where he is currently ranked eighth with winnings of $3,866,270.