Paddy’s week brightens up
Given that Harrington is in the field for the Transition Championship, beginning at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbour, Florida, on Thursday, it may all seem a bit too hectic but it helps, of course, when you are travelling by private jet and just happen to be one of the fittest 38-year-olds on the planet. Harrington admits that the invitation to the White House doesn’t exactly fit into his schedule but such a golden opportunity on St Patrick’s Day of all days was simply too good to miss.
“It really is something different,” he said. “President Obama is one of the most charismatic and powerful people in the world. It’s always fascinating to meet these people and see what they are like, to be able to make your own judgement. On top of that, I’ve never been to the White House.”
The St Patrick’s Day celebration will also be attended by Taoiseach Brian Cowen and boxer Katie Taylor. But Padraig won’t be lingering in the US capital. Already given an exemption to miss the pro-am in Florida, he will hurry back to be good and ready for first round action the following day. He will do so in good heart after a very solid performance in the WGC-CA over the Blue Monster course at Doral at the weekend.
He finished 11 under par and seven behind the resurgent Ernie Els but his round of 67 on Saturday in extremely windy conditions proved that he has regained his competitive edge and were it not for three-putting the 18th, he would have been in the final match on Sunday.
Whether playing alongside Els (who went on most impressively to complete his first win in two years) would have inspired Harrington is a moot point but he failed to reproduce the fireworks of the third round and indeed had to sink a 15 foot par putt on the final green to escape with a regulation 72.
Whatever chance he had of overtaking the inspired South African disappeared when he ran up a hat-trick of bogeys on the homeward run.
His score was the highest of those in contention going into the final round and he will ruefully contemplate the stats showing that he tied a lowly 57th of the 68 players in driving accuracy, 26th for driving distance and 22nd for greens in regulation.
Clearly, then, everything is still not right with his long game but it was good to see that he still scrambles with the best of them and that he eschewed the double bogeys and worse that have all too often spoiled his chances in big tournaments over the years. Furthermore, a cheque for $426,666 (€312,000) will help defray the cost of all those private jet jaunts.!
The Transition Championship is one of the less prestigious tournaments on the US circuit but it has still attracted a high-class entry from this side of the Atlantic. Along with Harrington, those challenging defending champion Retief Goosen of South Africa are Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Robert Karlsson, Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia.
Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy had starkly contrasting experiences at Doral. McDowell really came good in the final round with a smashing 66 that contained five successive birdies from the 8th followed by six solid pars to finish. This splendid performance moved the 30-year-old from Portrush to 10 under par and into a share of sixth place worth a tidy $214,300 (€156,000).
The tournament, however, was a real downer for Rory McIlroy who finished 65th of the 68-man field and has dropped two places to 11th in the world rankings. Having displayed so much promise throughout 2009 when he finished second in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai, the 20-year-old from Holywood has endured a trying month or so and never more so than at Doral. His stats do not make pretty reading: driving accuracy, tied 60th; driving distance, tied 35th; putts per round, tied 63rd; greens in regulation, tied 57th. Bizarrely, though, he came 1st in the sand saves category.
McDowell and McIlroy are skipping the Transition Championship this week when the interest in Europe switches to the King Hassan Trophy at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat. The event marks the return to competitive action of Paul McGinley, who has been sidelined for the past three months as he recovers from an operation on a knee injury that has bedevilled the 43-year-old Dubliner.
Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Michael Hoey and Gareth Maybin are the other Irish in the field but Gary Murphy, now playing out of Doonbeg, is 13th reserve and unlikely to gain a place in the €1.3 million event.
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