Bogey-man Harrington may rue errors

WE’VE been saying it for a long time now. Pádraig Harrington will never achieve his ultimate aim of winning a major championship until he manages to keep double and triple bogeys off his card.

He was at it again yesterday. He came to the 499-yards 18th, admittedly one of the toughest finishing par fours in all of golf, two under for the Open Championship and right in the thick of the battle.

A double bogey later, however, he was looking up at a whole host of players and involved yet again in a catch-up operation, six shots behind Sergio Garcia.

Pádraig works a lot with American sports psychologist Dr Bob Rotella who clearly teaches the virtues of a positive attitude no matter what happens.

‘‘It was a disappointing finish but I don’t think it will affect the outcome of my tournament,’’ he asserted. ‘‘I don’t want to be too far behind but obviously it just means I must go and play good golf for the weekend.’’

Well, you’d have to wonder if he’ll think like that should he miss out on the title by a shot or two on Sunday evening!

More rationally he accepted: ‘‘It would be a struggle from the back’’ and in fairness he was fully entitled to claim that he hit some great shots during his round of 73.

Like at the 8th where he produced this amazing little chip from a spot where a television commentator was telling his listeners that he had absolutely no chance of saving par.

‘‘I’d imagine it was the first time I’ve had to hit a shot like that since my amateur days,’’ Harrington commented.

It certainly was a little beauty, clipped off the tightest of lies over a bunker to a pin tucked a matter of feet beyond the trap. He somehow got the ball to less than a couple of feet of the hole to salvage a great par.

His short game expertise was again evident as he saved himself at the 12th and 13th with beautifully-played chips and he also got up and down for birdie at the long 14th.

He drove into a bunker at 15 to drop a stroke but parred the very difficult 16th and 17th to be still nicely placed standing on the final tee.

However, he drove miles right of the fairway, beyond even the Barry Burn, the little stream that meanders its way through the closing holes and will always be remembered for Jean van de Velde’s misadventures in 1999.

Forced to lay up in two, Harrington pitched to eighteen feet and made very heavy weather indeed of getting down in three putts. Double bogey, a round of 73, even par for the championship; not fatal by any means but very dispiriting for all that.

“There’s a lot of golf left in this tournament. Maybe now I’ll go out more aggressive, if I was two under, perhaps I’d be a bit defensive and, like I said, whether I’m one under, two under, level, it wouldn’t really make a difference to my chances at the weekend.’’

Only time will tell if he’s got that one right!