Harrington 'not concerned'

PÁDRAIG Harrington last night dismissed concerns over the state of his game so close to the Ryder Cup.

He was 74th of the 76-strong field in the NEC World Championship and finished 45th a week previous at the US PGA Championship.

Harrington shot a 75 in yesterday's second round of the BMW International in Munich to miss the cut by three shots.

This was a particularly bad blow for a player who has invariably prospered over the Nord-Eichenried course and indeed earned his Ryder Cup spurs here in 1999.

It was a better day for Ryder Cup colleague Darren Clarke who moved into contention for the €200,000 first prize with a solid round of 68. Gary Murphy finished with 71, Damien McGrane, 70, for one under and Graeme McDowell had another 72 for even par. Peter Lawrie, at two over, was the other Irish casualty.

"I'm not concerned at all because golf is like that," Harrington retorted to a very obvious question posed by a decidedly worried interviewer.

"I can't get down about it. I hit it in three hazards today off three good shots. I'm not doing much right, I'm not getting too many breaks, I'm not putting the ball in the hole, I'm not chipping well and it's all building up.

"Every time I miss a green, I make bogey. And yet the difference between where I am now and being four under par is nothing.

"What really got me this week was that I never settled on the pace of the greens. I found them so quick. I wasn't thinking of holing the putts as much as I should have been. Instead, I was being careful.

"But there are no alarm bells ringing. Not at all. Sometimes it's like that. You've got to stay patient and do the right things. I'm not concerned - but I'm not happy either.

"Funnily enough, I'll be glad of the two days off because I've got a lot of things I want to do. I've got to get my eyes lasered again, it's five years since I had it done first.

"Then I'll be going to see my coach Bob Torrance but I'd have been doing that anyway. I'll play the German Masters the week before the Ryder Cup. I partnered Paul Casey and Sergio Garcia and both shot 69 today and played nicely. It bodes well for the team which I think is settling nicely."

Clarke isn't entirely happy with his current form although obviously in much better shape than his compatriot and teammate.

Clarke got off to a dream start when he rattled in a 30-footer for eagle at the 11th hole, his 2nd, but claimed this was one of his few breaks on the greens. "63 was on for me out there," said the Ulsterman who went on to birdie the 14th only to three putt the short 17th to his intense frustration. He played his last nine holes in 33, the highlight being a beautifully struck six iron to just over a yard for a two at the short 8th.

Kilkenny's Gary Murphy set himself up for a decent cheque by finishing one under in spite of running up a couple of sixes at reachable par fives while Graeme McDowell was philosophical after another 72 for even par almost certainly put an end to his hopes of a Ryder Cup spot.

"That chance is probably gone now," accepted the Portrushman who actually needs to win to win the BMW to leapfrog those team candidates immediately ahead of him.

Wexford professional Damien McGrane's 70 also sets up him for the kind of cheque that will remove all doubts about retaining his card.