Harrington focused on historic Grand Slam year in 2010
The 38-year old Dubliner is determined to add the Masters and the US Open titles to his brace of Open wins and his US PGA triumph.
If he pulls it off, he will become just the sixth player in the history of the game to win all four majors and join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in the pantheon of greats.
But Harrington is nothing if notambitious and as he heads out to Portrugal with coach Bob Torrance this week to beat the big freeze, he’ll continue his search for the golfing equivalent of the Holy Grail – the swing secret that will enable him become the first man to bag all four major titles in the same calendar year.
“If you told me I was going to win another 10 Majors and it didn’t involve the career grand slam, I’d be very happy,” Harrington said at the weekend.
While Bobby Jones captured the British Open, the US Open and the British and US Amateur titles in 1930, Woods won the US Open, the Open and the US PGA in 2000 before completing what has become known as the Tiger Slam by donning the Masters green jacket at Augusta National in 2001.
“Everything is possible,” Harrington said with a grin. “Every day I go and hit a practice shot I’m hoping it’s the day I can find the secret and I don’t mind saying that.
“I saw an interview with Arnold Palmer when he was 70 coming off a Seniors event telling the world he felt he’d found the secret that day. I laughed and though that’s me, I’ll be like that for another 40 years.”
The 2010 season is going to be a vintage year for major championships in terms of the quality of the venues. Following the ultimate test of the Masters at Augusta, the US Open will take place at Pebble Beach, the British Open over the Old Course at St Andrews and the US PGA at Pete Dye’s spectacular Irish ‘links’, Whistling Straits, on the shores of Lake Michigan.
“If you are sentimental in playing Major tournaments, this is the year to play them,” Harrington said. “The venues are important for two people. The person who is getting into his first Major or doesn’t play them often. It’s important for the guy who wins it. If you win a Major at one of the better venues it does add a little more to it.
“If I was looking back in 10 years time, I’d say I won two Opens. Yet if I went on to win at St Andrews, I’d say I won three Opens, including one at St Andrews. But you can only think about that afterwards.”
Many can still recall what happened the last time the British Open was played at St Andrews and the US Open at Pebble Beach.
In 2000, Tiger Woods lapped the field in his national open in his home State, winning by the ridiculous margin of 15 shots. At St Andrews in 2000 and 2005, he left the field for dead.
Following his well-chronicled fall from grace just a few weeks ago, we don’t know when Woods will return to action, but Harrington is certain that there will be no repeat of the world number one’s record shattering US Open win of 2000.
“When Tiger won at Pebble Beach, he looked as if he had stolen such a march on everyone else, he looked invincible,” said Harrington, who finished 17 shots behind Woods in tied fifth. “The difference now is all the players think he’s going to have to play very well to beat us on our good weeks... time has moved on since then.
“Back in 2000, he would definitely make 190 mph ball speed – he was hitting it 30 yards past the field. Now there’s many guys in the field that’d hit it 25 yards past him and there’s many who’d be up with him.”
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