Harrington to take it easy ahead of US PGA

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON will scale back the preparations for his US PGAChampionship defence this week following his final-round showdown defeat to Tiger Woods at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Harrington put eight months of struggle with swing changes behind him at Firestone Country Club to lead the WGC-Bridgestone for three rounds and battle down the stretch with the world number one for 16 holes before sending his hopes of a first title this year into a greenside pond.

Harrington admitted that the encounter with Woods, played out in 90-degree plus heat and high humidity, had taken a physical toll ahead of his journey to Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota, for the final major of the year.