Week off does trick for Harry

Pádraig Harrington is confident he will be fit, fresh and ready to go for the British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in a fortnight after making the most of a much-needed week off following the Irish Open.

Harrington’s seventh place at Royal Portrush last Sunday brought to a close four weeks in a row of tournament play across two continents that also included a gruelling but rewarding four rounds at San Francisco’s Olympic Club at the US Open.

Three-time Major winner Harrington also played the St Jude Classic in Memphis and Travelers Championship in Connecticut either side of Olympic and will tune up for a third British Open title bid at Lytham by playing next week’s Aberdeen Assets Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.