Golf: Harrington happy with Major preparations

Apart from the financial benefits - more than £76,000 - Padraig Harrington is glad he prepared for the US PGA championship by playing in the Buick Open last week.

"It was a good idea," said the Dubliner, who finished sixth in Michigan and with a round to go was lying joint second.

"Normally I’d come and play a few more practice rounds on the major championship course, but this is not a course you want to play three or four times.

"The greens are so big you couldn’t possibly putt to every pin position or play a shot into every area."

Harrington’s 20-under-par finishing score on Sunday would win most tournaments, but he was five behind winner Kenny Perry.

"You can’t complain about 20 under on any given week," he added. "I was quite happy except for three holes on the last round. I did everything well apart from hole enough long putts."

Twenty under this weekend would run away with the final major of the season. The Atlanta Athletic Club is a par 70 and measures 7,213 yards.

Harrington, playing just his third US PGA, has been able to gauge his growing profile in America in simple terms.

"People will address me by my first name and get it right," he joked. "They love to prove they can say it.

"Some ask, but others would actually go ahead and have a go at it."