Harrington cuts down on expectations

Pádraig Harrington has us spoiled. After 60 years of little or no expectation of an Irish major victory, he came along and won three of them inside 13 months.

Yet while Harrington’s astonishing rise to the golfing elite inspired compatriots Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlory and Darren Clarke to follow suit, the Dubliner’s drive to become better again hit a brick wall, his 2008 PGA Championship victory at Oakland Hills now having the look of a last hurrah rather than a springboard to further greatness.

With three majors to his name, 41-year-old Harrington will tee off in the 95th PGA Championship at Oak Hill still as Ireland’s most successful golfer, with McIlroy defending the title that was his second major title.