Padraig Harrington was staring at an anxious afternoon to wait to see whether or not he’ll play all four rounds of the 123rd U.S. Open.
Harrington, 51, added a second round one-under 69, moving back to two-over but right on the expected cut-off mark, and in his 17th U.S. Open showing along with a first in nine-years.
One of the first tasks ahead of tee-off for Harrington was spotting playing partner Phil Mickelson on the range, and wishing ‘Lefty’ a happy 53rd birthday.
Harrington teed-up after an opening three-over 73 and to his enormous credit, he grabbed three birdies from the sixth to ninth holes, getting him back to level par heading into his inward nine, and while any birdie on this L.A. course is a bonus, the pick to the trio easily being his 44-footer for birdie at the par-3 ninth hole.
However, it was bogeys at 13 and 17 along with a par at the last that saw Harrington head to the scorer’s hut sharing 64th and right on the cut-off mark with the top-60 assured of playing all four days in the $US 20m event.
“Look, the damage was done yesterday. I hit a lot of good putts yesterday that didn’t go in the hole,” said Harrington.
“Okay, I came out there freed up a bit and I holed some putts, but then you’re always on the cut line. I tried so hard, and I had good chances on I think 11, 12, got very unlucky on 13.
“I played very nicely today and yesterday. I played — probably a couple of slack irons yesterday; they weren’t there today. But I probably hit it better yesterday.”
Up-coming for Harrington is back-to-back Champions Tour title defences, firstly at next week’s Dicks Sporting Goods Open at Endicott in upstate New York.
It’s then a journey north-west the following week to Wisconsin to defend his U.S. Open Senior Open title at the SentryWorld course at Stevens Point, and just over 200 kms west from Whistling Straits.
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