Pádraig will be fine ‘if he doesn’t overdo it’

DOCTOR Dale Richardson, the acclaimed Australian sports chiropractor, has backed Pádraig Harrington to defend his Open title — provided his patient’s level of practice and preparation is kept to a minimum over the next 48 hours.

“Pádraig played nine today and that’s plenty enough,” stressed Richardson. “The wrist area that he had trouble with was better and remained fairly stable and another part of the wrist was weaker, so I said that’s enough.

“So he’s allowed to walk the rest of the course and chips and putts are fine. There must be no shots out of the rough. When he gets to the sides of the greens, he’ll throw in a few chips and putts.

“I’m not concerned at this time. I haven’t been concerned since I first saw the injury, so long as he doesn’t overdo it. There has not been any doubt, since I first saw it, since I got in from Loch Lomond on Sunday after dealing with Graeme McDowell. I said it’s a minor thing that will be right by Thursday.

“By then he should be able to commit to every shot.”

Richardson, who has worked for many years on Harrington’s ongoing neck problems, remained upbeat last night.

“The medical description is a soft tissue injury,” he explained. “It’s a strain which is called a first degree strain of the Pronator Quadratus. He strained that and there’s also a problem with his flexor. Putting it simply, it’s a strain of the soft tissues in some of the soft muscles that stabilise the wrist.”