Alarm for Harrington at K Club

Padraig Harrington could not wait to get back to his bed after a third successive 73 in the Smurfit European Open at the K Club near Dublin today.

The pre-tournament favourite, able to stay at home for one of Europe’s richest events, had counted himself out of the title hunt after surviving the halfway cut with nothing to spare.

But what his first two days’ work also meant was an early alarm call – and another was beckoning for Sunday morning as he failed to make any impact on the €2.9m event.

Two birdies in his first four holes hinted at better things to come from the world number eight, but all that followed was three bogeys and 11 pars for a three-over-par aggregate of 219. Ryder Cup team-mates Darren Clarke and Phillip Price led overnight at nine under.

Harrington is making his first appearance since the United States Open three weeks ago and will not play again until the Open at Sandwich the week after next.

He insists he is not tempted to ask for a late entry into the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, preferring instead to work on his own on links courses in Ireland before flying to England next weekend.

“I know what I need to do,” he said. “It’s the usual stuff – play some links golf and ease myself in.

“I need to get my game in shape mentally. I’m not anywhere at the moment and I have to get sharper and more focused. I need to get the most out of rounds rather than the worst, which seems to be the case this week.

“But my performance here does not affect my confidence at all.”

It was a much better morning for English pair Shaun Webster and David Carter, who had a better-ball of 59 playing together.

Webster fired a 67 to move to five under and joint 11th place and Carter a 67 to be three under. But they knew the leaders had still to tee off again in pursuit of the £333,330 first prize.

Clarke and Price led by one from Scot Alastair Forsyth and 18-year-old South African Charl Schwartzel.

Nick Faldo picked up three birdies in his first 10 holes, but a six at the long 16th left him one under, the same as Sandy Lyle.