Pádraig prepares for qualifying trek to US Open

Pádraig Harrington will again venture into new and unwanted territory when he enters a 36-hole US Open qualifier later next month at Walton Heath in Surrey.

Harrington’s five-year exemption into both the Masters and now the US Open ended last year.

He recently missed out on competing at Augusta National for a first time in 14 years and will now head to Walton Head on Monday May 26 and straight after the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship.

Harrington has competed in 16 US Opens since making his debut in the stifling heatwave conditions of the 1997 championship held at Oakmont.

“I’ve entered US Open qualifying at Walton Heath, so that will be a first for me, and I’ve never been there before,” he said. “But hopefully I won’t have to go there.”

Harrington is returning to competition at this week’s €5m Zurich Classic at New Orleans at TPC Avondale.

“I’ve worked pretty hard the last fortnight on my game,” he said.

“I also watched a lot of the Masters coverage, and while I wanted to be there, it didn’t hurt being at home.

“But then I’m looking forward to this week. I haven’t played here for some time, since about 2008, so it’s nice being back here.

“I just want to keep playing and get myself into next month’s Players Championship but then I don’t know what I need to do to get me into Sawgrass (host course for this year’s US Open).

“I will be happy just playing good golf and seeing where that takes me.”

Harrington will play the opening two rounds in the company of the American duo Chad Campbell and Jeff Overton, with the three teeing up at 7.20am local time (1.20pm Irish time).

US Open title holder Justin Rose, at No. 11 in the world, is the highest ranked player in the field.