After following his opening three-under 67 with a second-round 66, Padraig Harrington took the clubhouse lead at the Genesis Scottish Open at Renaissance, albeit with the afternoon wave yet to get their rounds underway and several others still on course.
Speaking to Sky Sports’ Tim Barter after the round, Harrington was bullish about his chances going into the weekend where weather conditions are set to worsen and the grind will get significantly harder.
“Yeah, I don’t need it though,” he replied when Barter asked if he was relishing tough conditions given his past exploits when courses play their toughest. “If I play the same way I played the first few days and hole a few putts, I’d like things to stay as they are. I’m in a nice place at the moment.
“Clearly if the leader gets away, the worse the conditions the better to try and catch somebody, so I’ll make the most of whatever I get but I certainly don’t feel like I need bad weather to be competitive.”
Calls for Harrington to be included in Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team have grown in recent weeks as the 51-year-old continues to outdrive players considerably younger and the wealth of experience he possesses could prove invaluable to a side likely to feature several rookies.
“We’ll see more after these couple of weeks,” he replied to Barter who’d admitted that he was one of those in favour of the Dubliner’s inclusion. “This is the best I’ve played, these two rounds tee-to-green in a long time. I’ve been playing better and getting better and doing things better and the Champions Tour’s gotten me focused better and I’ve started putting better, and yeah, this week with an eye on next week, I was trying to get my head in the right place for next Thursday and I’ve managed to do that a week early.
“So yeah, I’m in a nice place and I’ll see how I play over the next two weeks and then I’ll have a chat with Luke and if necessary I’ll change my schedule and come back and play a few in Europe which I hadn’t [planned.] My intention was to play some Champions Tour events but if I’m genuinely in contention then I’m prepared to make the effort and come back and prove it.”
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