So near and yet so far for Harrington

TWO missed putts, one for par at the 17th that lipped out and the other for eagle on the 18th that missed by inches, came between Padraig Harrington and a crack at Colin Montgomerie at St Andrews yesterday.

In the end, a two under par 70 for an aggregate of seven under 281 proved two too many and left Harrington in a tie for third with Swedes, Henrik Stenson, and Robert Karlsson, along with Anders Hansen of Denmark, behind Montgomerie and Kenneth Ferrie.

Harrington departed the ‘Home of Golf’ last night in a private plane courtesy of his amateur partner JP McManus, who again performed with commendable commitment and no little skill to finish the team event on 25 under par and tied for fifth.