Tiger on the prowl again but Harrington’s putting suffers

Tiger Woods strode The Olympic Club like a colossus as Pádraig Harrington again struggled with his putter in the opening round of the US Open.

As Woods fired a surgically precise, one under par 69 to finishing an attritional morning in joint second place, just three shots behind surprise early leader Michael Thompson (66), Harrington’s putter did little justice to his otherwise solid play from tee to green as he opened with a four over 74.

The 40 year-old Dubliner has been battling to resolve his inconsistencies on the greens for more than a year, yet while he officially had just 31 putts, he missed three times inside five feet and had two unofficial “four-putts” from just off the second and seventh greens.