Harrington listens to wife's advice
Padraig Harrington took something his wife Caroline told him back onto the course today to try to re-ignite his challenge for a first major title.
The Dubliner was among 57 players unable to complete their first rounds in the United States Open at Shinnecock Hills yesterday following first a thunderstorm and fog.
After he parred his one remaining hole for a three-over 73 that left him seven adrift of leaders Jay Haas and Shigeki Maruyama, Harrington was quickly off again for his second round.
But before he teed off the Ryder Cup star, beaten in a play-off by Sergio Garcia at last week’s Buick Classic, said: “I struggled to get going yesterday, but after the stoppage Caroline said I looked different – I looked as if I had more purpose.
“I played the last five holes very hard and had a lot of chances. At least that was positive. For some reason I wasn’t with it at first and wasn’t making things happen.
“I went out again a bit more aggressively. You can make birdies here. I have a lot of work to do, but it’s still possible.”
Darren Clarke also completed a 73 and said: “I had bad bogeys last night and am just not playing the way I would like to.
“It’s the same as last week (he missed the cut at Westchester) – wasting silly shots. I was making bogeys with eight or nine-irons and you can’t really afford to do that.”
The Irishman had thought it was his putting that was letting him down, but a chat with caddie Pete Coleman made him realise that the problem was not hitting his irons close enough and he was attempting to address that.
Paul Lawrie, completely down in the dumps last week at Gleneagles, came in with a 76 – not what he wanted, but not as bad as his worst fears.
“If you hit bad shots you are going to get punished and I hit three or four of them,” said the 1999 Open champion.
“I didn’t play badly, but you’ve got to play well to get anything out of it here. I’m getting there, though. It’s slow, but I’m getting there.”
Lawrie was partnering Masters champion Phil Mickelson, who like Vijay Singh finished with a 68 to tuck in just off the pace.
Argentina’s Angel Cabrera resumed alongside Haas and Maruyama on four under and had a real rollercoaster ride. He birdied the 14th to be top on his own, double-bogeyed the next, then picked up another shot on the long 16th to rejoin them.
Corey Pavin, winner at the course in 1995 but without a US Tour success for eight years, scored 67 and was fourth on his own.
Playing with Pavin, Justin Rose could manage only a 77.
