FedEx struggle for Harrington

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON will need to shoot the lights out at TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts today in the final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship if he wants to retain an active interest in the season-ending FedEx Cup series.

Mon, 05 Sep, 2011 - 01:00

Harrington added a third round 69 to Saturday’s 73, which left him on one under par and in 87th place, well outside the top 70 players in the four-event play-off series on the US PGA Tour.

The top 70 players in the FedEx Cup rankings advance to the BMW Championship, with 30 moving on from there to the season-ending Tour Championship. The FedEx Cup winner receives a $10m bonus.

Harrington, who only got through to the final two rounds on the cut mark, had a steady round but lies ten shots behind theleader, American Bubba Watson, who shot 70 yesterday.

The Irishman opened with a birdie three on the 1st, while a bogey six on the 7th was offset by a birdie three on the 12th.

Graeme McDowell is just outside the top 70, a one under par 70 in the third round leaving him on four under and in 73rd spot in the FedEx standings.

Phil Mickelson surged up the leaderboard with an eight under 63, which leaves him at seven under, four behind leader Watson. Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day are a shot off the pace, alongside Americans Brendan Steele, Chez Reavie and Jerry Kelly.

* Martin Kaymer on Sunday joined Rory McIlroy in pulling out of this month’s Vivendi Seve Trophy in France.