Padraig Harrington has received support from Europe vice-captain Darren Clarke

Padraig Harrington says he would be devastated if he was not part of the Europe team to face the United States in the Ryder Cup in Wales.

With only five weeks left in the points race, the three-time major champion admitted he was in a "very perilous position" at 17th place in the table.

"I've had more top 10s in the last year than I've ever had in my career so my form has been solid," said Harrington.

"Going on a guideline that most people use I've actually had my best year."

Things are so tight in the Ryder Cup points table that if Harrington wins this week's 3 Irish Open, he could move all the way up to sixth in the standings.

Nine players qualify automatically at the end of next month and then captain Colin Montgomerie will add three more wild cards.

An amazing five players in the world's current top 25 - Paul Casey, Edoardo Molinari, Justin Rose, Harrington and Henrik Stenson, are in need of a wild card as things stand.

Rose has won twice in the US recently, Casey and Stenson were joint third at The Open and Molinari lifted the Scottish Open three weeks ago - and won the World Cup with his brother Francesco last November.

We all know how good a player Padraig is - it would be very difficult to see Padraig not being on that team in Wales Darren Clarke

Harrington's last victory was the US PGA two years ago.

"I was asked the other day if I got selected would I actually pull out," Harrington stated.

"The inference was 'would you pull out because you're not playing well?'

"I haven't won recently and that's certainly below my expectations and everybody else's expectations, but my form has actually been solid enough.

"I just have to wait and let it happen. I do try to be very disciplined in doing my own thing and not be influenced by outside factors - but clearly that one got to me."

The 38-year-old Dubliner is focusing all his energies on the next three weeks - Ireland, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron and then the US PGA in Wisconsin - and trying to make sure he does not need to be picked.

"But, should he still not be certain after that, it remains to be seen if he would do as Montgomerie wants and change his schedule to play the race-ending Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles rather than the non-counting FedEx Cup play-off event in the same week.

Padraig Harrington has three major wins to his name

"My schedule is set to play in The Barclays at the moment, so I'm really hoping that I play well enough in the next three weeks that I don't have to think about not playing it."

Newly-appointed vice-captain Darren Clarke said he could not envisage Harrington missing out.

Asked if he could envisage a scenario where his former team-mate was left out, the Northern Irishman replied: "Personally I can't envisage that situation, but I'm not the captain!"

"We all know how good a player Padraig is - it would be very difficult to see Padraig not being on that team in Wales.

"It would be good to see him play really well and qualify and give Monty the extra choice of another pick.

"I think we would all like to see him qualify and we hope he does."

Clarke might still make it himself and has already said that if that happens he would play and Montgomerie would have to find another assistant.

Runner-up to Molinari at Loch Lomond, the 41-year-old is 21st in the table, but could move up to ninth by winning on Sunday.

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