Padraig Harrington clicks into gear at Honda Classic

After being ‘summoned’ to dinner by his long-time mental coach, Padraig Harrington rekindled the form that earned him a first PGA Tour success virtually across the road from this week’s Honda Classic host venue.

Harrington tamed the famed ‘Bear Trap’ in birding two of the three closing holes on the Jack Nicklaus designed PGA National course in a round of a three under par 67.

It was eight years ago Harrington broke through to win on the PGA Tour for a first occasion in capturing the 2005 Honda Classic but on the Mirasol course.

American Jim Herman enjoyed the clubhouse lead with a five under par 65 and with compatriot Brendan Steele in second place with a 66 and Harrington sharing third place.

However World No. 1 Rory McIlroy, and like Harrington a former Honda Classic champion, was struggling early after doubling the first and dropping shots at four and five to be four over par.

One of the first to greet Harrington after his round, that included just 26 putts, was his long-time sports psychologist Dr Bob Rotella, and it was the two hours they spent together over dinner on Tuesday night at the nearby Yardhouse Ale House that Harrington said was helpful.

“I got summoned to dinner on my own with him on Tuesday night, so unlike other occasions he insisted it be just the two of us,” said Harrington smiling.

“Bob is very much is like the school teacher as he sets you this homework and tells you to do it right, and he said he wanted to see me given what he had been reading in the newspapers what I have was saying to you guys.

“And it’s the mental side of the game where I have been struggling for a while now.”

In contrast, a trip on Wednesday to the nearby Sikorsky factory didn’t provide the lift Graeme McDowell was seeking after posting a four over par 74 in his first event this year on American soil.

McDowell bogeyed four of his opening five holes and then doubled his 11th to be six over par before regrouping to eagle his 12th and birdie 14 before ending bogey, birdie and par.

“You just don’t want to get behind the 8 ball on this golf course and I did that but I was pleased with myself in fighting back there on my back nine,” he said.

Meanwhile South Africa’s Nic Henning claimed a narrow lead after the opening round of the Joburg Open as home players dominated the top of the leaderboard at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.

Henning carding a nine-under-par 62 on the West Course – equalling the course record – to finish one shot ahead of compatriots Titch Moore and Tjaart van der Walt, as well as Belgium’s Thomas Pieters.

Dean Burmester and Garth Mulroy were a shot further back on seven under to make it five South Africans in the top seven, with Scotland’s Scott Henry and English pair Sam Hutsby and Simon Dyson part of an eight-strong group on six under.

Henning has the worst world ranking possible going into the tournament, ranked at joint 1,555th, and admitted: “I haven’t made a score like that for many many years so it’s a really nice surprise.”