Rónán MacNamara in Royal Troon
Pádraig Harrington’s performance so far at the 152nd Open Championship is a typical example of how fickle golf can be as he “hit a wall” on Friday in Royal Troon.
Harrington feels he has played well enough to be within striking distance of the lead heading into the weekend but too many shaved edges on the greens has made him resign himself to the fact that he is an also ran at the halfway stage despite making the cut comfortably.
“I played lovely golf, like yesterday, first eight holes. I made a terrible bogey on 6 and then didn’t hole my putt for birdie on 8. I just kind of hit a wall, even though I shouldn’t have been, I was thinking about the cut. I played 9, 10, 11, 12 just out of position, out of position, struggling along, 14 as well,” said Harrington who carded a two-over 73 to lie on three-over with the cut projected at five-over at the very least.
“I was playing much better than that. Both days I’ve been putting magnificent coming in here, but both days I just haven’t holed a putt. I don’t know what the longest putt I’ve holed in is. I certainly haven’t holed too many.
“Even if I’ve holed a 10 or 15-footer, I haven’t seen too many of them.
“It’s tough when you’re not holing putts, you get tentative on the longer putts. But like I said, I have been putting great. I played terrible last week and putted well for two days. This week I come out and play really well and putted terrible. That’s golf.”
Harrington was hoping for a Friday morning charge but it never materialised after a bogey on six and birdie on seven saw him turn in level-par and plus one for the championship.
The three-time major winner began to slide wrongly towards the cut mark when he dropped shots on 11, 12 and 14 but a timely birdie on 16 ensured his passage into the weekend.
At the time of writing, several big names have already tumbled towards the foot of the leaderboard and missed the cut while the likes of Rory McIlroy, Bob MacIntyre and Justin Thomas are being blown away on the front nine as have many other former major champions now in Harrington’s age bracket.
The 52-year-old is still competitive at this level and he has high hopes heading into next week’s Senior Open in Carnoustie where he picked up the first of his two Claret Jugs in 2007.
“Cuts are always a nasty thing. Definitely if there was no cut line, I would have been a couple of shots better. You do start thinking about — and I shouldn’t have. I should have been — like I could have gotten myself under-par for this tournament. It’s only four shots back, and it looks like the good side of the draw would be doing okay.
“Now it’s a bit of an also ran. Like I said, just go out there and try to find some form on the weekend and bring it into next week.
“Last week I was struggling. I fell way off the mark last week. I suppose, when you miss cuts, that’s what happens. You just feel like, I’m not with it. This week I’m really disappointed to be 3-over par. If I had a good week in the greens, I’d be a lot better. Yeah, I was very capable so far this week.
“I am a lot more bullish about my game. Last week I was kind of struggling in my head and saying, what am I doing here? This week I know why I’m here.”
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