Harrington down but not out

Golf/US Open: The tendency generally is to clutch at straws, believing a miracle can still happen. But Padraig Harrington was more realistic than that after completing his second round in the US Open at Shinnecock Hills yesterday.

"Another major gone?" Harrington was asked of what was the Dubliner's 25th appearance in a major.

"You say it like it's the end of the world," came the reply, before he added: "You've got to think so, yes."

In truth, Harrington's rounds of 73 and 71 for a four-over-par total of 144 - which at least enabled him to make the midway cut - were disappointing, to the player more than anyone. His tied-second-place finish in last week's Buick Classic had raised expectations but, for some reason, the world's seventh-ranked player, and leading European, felt "flat", as he described it, once this 104th US Open started.

"I thought I'd prepared well, and it is hard to believe I could tee it up in a US Open and not have that feel, not have any adrenalin," he remarked. "I was nearly too relaxed going into it, the focus just wasn't there. I've a lot of work to do to haul myself back . . . it's a very, very, very long shot. It's just a question of going out and playing my best golf over the weekend."

With the last six majors being won by first-time winners, many have placed the tag of "best player never to have won a major", so long on Phil Mickelson's shoulders, onto those of the Irishman.

When that is put to Harrington, even if there is a modicum of sense to it, he is inclined to laugh. "Ah, that's madness," he said. "Considering I haven't been in contention in very many and I might be only here a year or two in that category of potential major winner. Take Phil (Mickelson), when he turned pro in 91 they were saying he is going to win a major. When I turned pro in 95, there was nobody saying I was going to win one.

"You have to be patient. Realistically, it takes a while. I'm not going to hang myself out in saying I have to win a major to feel complete this year, or mean I've had a good year. I'd certainly like to win one in my career. More than one in my career. You know, I am getting better so I will be patient."

Yesterday, his patience was tested when, having risen at 4 am to complete the final hole of his weather-interrupted first round, and starting birdie-birdie in the first two holes of his second, which should have ignited something, Harrington could only tag on a 73.

"I'm disappointed with the score, that I am not in the hunt. I'd like to be somewhere around a couple under," he said.

Yet, Harrington preferred to be philosophical, knowing there are 155 losers and just one winner in any major. "You'd be a right fool to go into a major and be disappointed not to win it because, most of the time, you will be disappointed. You have to face reality. You want to win, but you can't expect anything and you wouldn't want to live your life hanging on those hopes. It's tough playing in this one, and I am not even in contention."

Of all the majors, this is the one Harrington judges himself by, simply because on his first appearance - in 1997 at Congressional - he felt so far off the pace that it led him to reconstruct his swing.

He missed the cut on that occasion, the only time he has failed to survive into the weekend. "I changed my whole swing based on the US Open, because of how tough I found the first one. I chipped and putted all day for scores of 75 and 77. I've come a long way since then, that's for sure."

Unfortunately for Harrington, it looks like he will have to wait for his 26th appearance in a major - at next month's British Open at Royal Troon - before he can shed that recently acquired tag, whether he likes it or not, of being the best player not to win a major.

Until then, the final two rounds here are likely to see more aggressive play. "You'll see a lot of guys who've just made the cut playing well, taking the risks," he observed.