‘It’s tough, but that’s the way I like it, says Harrington

CHICAGO is my kinda town, go the words of the great song, and a group of Europeans are determined they will be singing them in celebration of victory in the 103rd US Open here in the Windy City on Sunday night.

The foreigners wouldn’t be normal if they didn’t believe that the American stranglehold on the title since 1970 (interspersed with some cheeky interruptions by South Africa’s Gary Player and Ernie Els) couldn’t be broken this time round. The little-rated Canadian Mike Weir showed the way at Augusta National in April and there has been a definite undercurrent ever since of “if he can do it, so can I”.

Multiply those sentiments by about another hundred players and you see why the would-be Tiger tamers are hopeful that Woods, after all, may not be omnipotent.

Mind you, if you favour a non-American champion, you would hardly look beyond Els, winner in 1994 and again in 97 and now holder of the Open Championship as well. Then there’s Vijay Singh, unbeloved of women golfers everywhere but a man strong enough to come back to win the week immediately after his regrettable comments about Annika Sorenstam’s involvement in the Colonial Open.

And then there’s the poor Europeans, without a US Open since 1970, and the guys who have developed into multi-millionaires from their relatively cushy scene back home and who, from time, to raid and plunder worldwide but rarely to the extent of winning in the United States.

This time round, an Irishman with a wonderful work ethic, an admirable humour and disposition and a fine golf game is the one most favoured to put an end to the appalling European record in America’s Blue Ribband. If it’s to be done, then surely Padraig Harrington is the man.

Four wins since last October and a number of much-publicised second place finishes say it all about his consistency. Hardly a tournament goes by without the 31-year-old Dubliner being in contention, indeed as recently as Monday in Maryland when he was only one stroke out of the lead after seven holes of the final round before fading back to 13th.

A disappointment, yes. And he would have hoped to do better than 13th the previous week in the Memorial at Muirfield Village. But it was all part of his preparation of Olympia Fields and the US Open. Unlike so many other Europeans who stayed at home to contest the Wales Open and British Masters, Harrington took on the Yanks in their own backyards, held his head up proudly, all the time gathering the kind of information and experience that would stand to him once the most serious questions of all were asked in Chicago.

“Although I may not do it this way every year, I do believe playing a couple of events over here before a major is the best way to prepare,” he said last night. “I’ve been working on a few things, hitting the ball higher, chipping out of the heavy rough around the greens, but nothing radical. The cut-off point has passed where making changes is concerned.”

Harrington had played five of his second round practice holes when I caught up with him yesterday and he was in great form, looking slim and fit and full of fun too. He enthused over the Olympia Fields course, dismissing those who have been a little critical. “It’s a great golf course. There is no let-up at all. As usual, you have to think on every tee shot, you can’t afford to miss the fairways. Let’s just say it’s tough, but that’s the way I like it.”

It’s good to hear such positive talk from Harrington, who has been demonstrating more and more to US audiences just why he is good enough to be ranked seventh in the world.

Backing up his words, he had a fifth place finish in the Championship at Pebble Beach in 2000 and a share of eighth last year (when a double bogey at the last cost him three spots). Chicago, indeed, could be his kinda town.

There are a few other Europeans who could spoil the US Father’s Day party. It is difficult to look seriously at Colin Montgomerie, whose flashes of temper and bad manners are now measuring up in their own way to the poor quality of his golf. Beaten in a play-off by Els in 1995 and again nudged into second again by the South African three years later, you suspect he may have reached his sell-by date where these major championships are concerned. Nick Faldo might be a better bet.

I would prefer to look towards Scandinavia and Thomas Bjorn and Niclas Fasth, a pair of feisty individuals who wouldn’t shirk the challenge should they be in contention coming down the stretch. After that, though, I’m struggling to find a European who is ready to step up to the plate.

Sergio Garcia? Changing his swing and badly out of sorts. Bernhard Langer? Unlikely to shoot four consistent rounds. Justin Rose? Poorly prepared and anyway, not good enough. Darren Clarke? Vast potential but too often flatters to deceive, this year’s Masters the classic example.

The world rankings make Tiger Woods a runaway favourite followed by Ernie Els with Davis Love III, Mike Weir, David Toms and Phil Mickelson someway down the list.

The bookmakers prices of 5/2 and 9/4 seem poor value but you might be wiser to go with that than plump for a higher-priced player who has little chance of stealing away his trophy. Yes, it’s Woods to win the US Open for a third time, with Harrington outstanding each way value at 33 to 1.