Padraig Harrington arrived in Akron on a high after his performance in last week’s 3 Irish Open and is looking to go one better than 12 months ago.
The Irishman enjoyed a terrific final day duel with Firestone Country Club specialist Tiger Woods last year until a triple bogey on the 16th ended his chances of victory in the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational. He eventually finished four behind, alongside Robert Allenby, but buoyed by his runners-up finish to Ross Fisher on Sunday, Harrington is again among the favourites.
“It’s nice to be back,” he said. “Obviously I come to close last year and that brings certain expectations coming into this year. Previous years I've been so so, so I'm not really sure what to expect this year. I find the golf course is one of the tighter courses on tour with the heavier rough, fast greens, so you've got to really play well during the week to compete here. But I look forward to that challenge.”
Harrington’s final day charge at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, where he closed with a seven under par 64 in his attempt to chase down Ross Fisher, included some miraculous shots from the three-time Major Champion, shots he claimed were among the best of his career.
“There was a couple of saves last week that were right up there with some of my best of my career let's say. Is that encouraging? I don't know, they're kind of one offs. I'd be more encouraged by solid up and downs and solid play. The spectacular stuff is nice when it happens. You kind of know it doesn't last forever. But I enjoyed it last week, and my short game was sharp. I've got to keep working on that.
“The greens will probably be a little quicker here. I suppose you need a sharp short game to get up and down, but certainly it's a tough golf course for getting up and down all the time with the speed of the greens. A better policy is to hit fairways and greens this week.”
Harrington’s second place finish in Killarney moved him up The Ryder Cup Points table to just outside the nine automatic qualification places and he knows the importance of these two weeks to secure a place on the European Team at The Celtic Manor Resort.
He is not alone as there are five players in the World’s top 25 not currently qualified for The European Team.
Westwood, who tops the list, highlighted the dilemma facing Montgomerie as things stand. “You look down the World Rankings and I think Monty could leave somebody out from the top 20 of the world with the way things are at the moment. He could be picking from a group of Harrington, Rose, Casey, Stenson, Karlsson, Garcia, Quiros, all great players. Molinari is in there, as well. It’s not so much a case of the strength of the team at the moment that you could look at, it's the players he may have to leave out.
“But as last time proved, I think we probably had a stronger team on paper but we didn't win. It's all about how you play and the goods you produce on the week and the putts you hole at the right times. The American team is capable of doing that as we are.”
Westwood has rested his injured calf over the last two weeks, describing it as a 6 ½ out of 10 compared to a 5 during The Open and is ready to get back to business.
“I’m well rested, looking forward to these two weeks, two big weeks,” said the World Number Three. “I’ve hardly hit a ball. I've just been trying to rest up and keep the rehab going and trying not to do too much I'm under prepared really but still could play well.”
Westwood could go to World Number One with a win or second place depending on how Woods and Phil Mickelson perform.
