Nightmare start for Harrington at US Open

Padraig Harrington effectively played himself out of contention for the US Open Championship at Torrey Pines yesterday after opening with a dismal seven-over-par round of 78.

He stands ten shots behind the shock first round leaders Justin Hicks and Kevin Streelman in 112th position and faces an enormous task in surviving into the week-end. When Harrington rolled in an eighteen-foot putt for a birdie at the first hole, it looked as if he might be on the way to the kind of score that would have put him in position to add this title to the Open Championship he captured at Carnoustie last July.