Harrington unhappy with his prep after rough finish at US Open

Padraig Harrington prepares to play his shot from the seventh tee during the final round of the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club  (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Pádraig Harrington had a rough US. Open finish on Sunday, as his wayward tee shots delivered a final-round 73 and a tie for 27th at Los Angeles Country Club.

The reigning US Senior Open champion hit only four of 13 fairways and just eight greens.

“Yeah, I was poor off the tee today,” Harrington said. “I missed a few of the wedge holes that you've got to hit those fairways and you go from having a birdie chance into a bogey. So yeah, just not a good driving day. That was all. Short game was sharp. Got a few bad lies out there, that's for sure but in general I just didn't hit it on the fairways on those short holes that you need to give yourself opportunities for birdie.” 

Harrington bogeyed 2, 3 and 4 out of the gate and scrambled to make the turn in even with birdies at 6, 8 and 9. Then he bogeyed 10, 13 and the par-5 14 on the back.

“I don't know if I'd call it a good week, or a bad week – it is the week it is,” Harrington said. “I am certainly not beating myself up over it. I know what I need to do, but I won't be putting down tied 27th in the US Open at L.A. Country Club anywhere on the CV.

“So, yeah, doesn't add anything to me at this stage. You know, as I said, it really is a question of you need to be in these situations to see where your weaknesses are. And I was quite poor off the tee today and I need to do better.” 

Harrington heads off to consecutive PGA Tour Champions title defences the next two weeks, including the US Senior Open at SentryWorld in Wisconsin at the end of the month. 

He criticised his preparation this week: “I need to do better. Better preparation.

“It shows up a few weaknesses that I need to be better at,” he said. “I probably shouldn't have come in here without playing a tournament the week before. I need to play the week before. I didn't. I tried to be disciplined enough, but you needed one tournament warmup at least, you know, obviously that will help for the next two weeks. But we'll wait, see how that goes.” 

The Open Championship at Hoylake offers Harrington one more chance this season to add to his three career majors. Even at 51, he doesn’t discount his chances at a links venue as a two-time winner of the Claret Jug.

“There's plenty of good stuff, there's no doubt about that,” he said of his form. “I just need to be a little bit better with my focus and mentally and I know how to do that. Sometimes I get my own way. So my focus will be my focus for the next four weeks.”