Harrington is still optimistic

Pádraig Harrington tees off at Wentworth today more in hope than confidence he can continue his recent good form.

The three-time major winner, one of 11 Irish golfers in the field this week at the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship, flew in from America having contended for three rounds in last week’s HP Byron Nelson Championship in Dallas.

A final-round 74 saw him drop down the leaderboard on Sunday but with his confidence over the putter renewed, Harrington would have had a strong argument for staying in Texas and continuing the feelgood factor by playing the PGA Tour’s Crowne Plaza Colonial tournament this week rather than fly back to Europe to a tournament he has played just twice in since 2007.