Woods paired with 'quick' Harrington

Tiger Woods will tee it up with Padraig Harrington at Bay Hill today happy to be playing alongside a faster as well as more successful golfer.

Harrington will begin the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando at level par while five-time winner and defending champion Woods will start at two under following an opening 68 that leaves him three shots off the pace set last night by fellow American Jason Gore.

The Irishman and the world number one have won five of the last six majors between them with Harrington heading to Augusta National in two weeks in search of his third win in a row, having successfully defended his Open title in 2008 and followed up by landing the US PGA Championship three weeks later.

Woods won the US Open at Torrey Pines last June before undergoing season-ending knee surgery and yesterday’s opening round at Bay Hill was the first time since he has returned to action that he had played with the Dubliner.

“I haven’t played with Paddy in a while,” Wood said.

“We were talking out there, Stevie (Williams, his caddie) and I, about how his routine has changed.

“It’s certainly much quicker than it has been in the past. I mean, whatever he’s doing is working.

“His work ethic is second to none out here. He really works hard. It was an amount of time before he had some success in major championships, and lo and behold, he’s got three.”

While both Woods and Harrington tune up for the Masters, Gore said he was just grateful to be playing at Bay Hill, having received a sponsor’s invitation from Palmer himself after falling out of the top 126 on the PGA Tour at the end of last year.

“I’ve been very fortunate, this is my fourth sponsor’s invite,” Gore said.

“I’ve got a lot of people fooled into thinking I’m a nice guy, and they’ve been giving me some spots.

“Those are very fortunate things. They’re few and far to come by, but any time you can get a lucky break you try and capitalise on it, which is not what I have done this year.”

Gore said he had rebuilt his swing at the end of last year in order to rejuvenate his career on tour, “right when I was just tired of stinking, tired of being average”.

After finishing with a flourish last night with three birdies in his last four holes on the way to a 65, he joked: “It’s the first time in a long time I didn’t suck.”