Padraig misses woolly hat in chilly Atlanta

Padraig Harrington will be hoping a later start today in the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta enables him to get his brain in gear better than he did in his opening 70.

Harrington, who on Sunday played his last 12 holes in a dazzling eight under par, stated: “I didn’t have the same adrenalin and was a little bit flat.

“I struggled to focus and did some silly stuff. I just wasn’t sharp.”

The Sugarloaf course is only an hour’s flight from Sawgrass, but the weather was starkly different.

“I brought a woolly hat for the trip, but somehow it was not to be found. I looked in the car and I was hoping Dave (his caddie Dave McNeilly) had put it somewhere, but no.”

He still fared better than the other three Masters-bound Europeans in the field. Paul Lawrie had a 74 and both Phillip Price and Thomas Bjorn handed in 77s.

Meanwhile, Jose Maria Olazabal hopes he is running into form just in time for his attempt to win the Masters for a third time.

But the 38-year-old was not taking anything for granted after a 65 had given him a share of the first round lead in the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta.

Down in a lowly 155th place on this season’s American money list, Olazabal said: “I haven’t followed one good round with another – it’s been a struggle all year.

“This course is a good tune-up for next week, but I’m not concerned about next week. This is enough of a task, especially in this weather. I have a lot of work to do.”

It was windy all day yesterday and for the early starters it was freezing as well. Olazabal was teeing off at 7.27am this morning.

Alongside him was Australian Adam Scott – and being paired with last week’s winner of the Players Championship worked well for the Spaniard.

“He’s the star of the moment and somehow you feed from players that hit the ball well,” he commented. Scott had a 68.

“I have to say my iron play was excellent. Most of the year they have been awful, but I hit a lot of solid shots.” Five of his seven birdies were with putts of three feet or less.

“I missed a few drives, but they didn’t hurt me that much.”

Olazabal, who missed the cut by four last week, shares top spot with Californian Roger Tambellini, a 29-year-old US Tour rookie who like Scott finished behind Michelle Wie at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January.

Olazabal and Tambellini resumed today one ahead of Craig Bowden. Phil Mickelson is four behind, but Masters champion Mike Weir eight back.