Harrington recovers but Clarke is mystified

The Irish challenge this week has not got off the ground. Philip Reid tries to find out what the problems are.

The rescue act was left to the very death, but at least it breathed new life into Padraig Harrington's faltering challenge in the American Express World Championship at Mount Juliet. A day after walking the walk and talking the talk with Tiger Woods, the Dubliner returned to more solid ground, but if Harrington expected things to be easier, he was to be sorely mistaken.

As tends to happen when you're pushing all the buttons but getting the wrong response, Harrington found himself trying too hard to force a score and a way into contention.

"I was pushing very hard and got a bit frustrated when the putts weren't dropping," said Harrington, who shot a second round 70 - courtesy of two finishing birdies - for a midway total of five-under-par 139.

The problem, as Harrington perceives it, is to do with his alignment. "I've struggled with my alignment basically for the past eight weeks, since I had the injuries. It has knocked me back a bit. I'm struggling with all my clubs on alignment. When I think I am lined somewhere, I am not. I have been trying to correct it, so now sometimes my shoulders are aiming right and my hips are aiming left on the longer shots.

"In a roundabout way, I am overcompensating, because I was knocked back by my neck injury and that caused a loss of perception in where I am aiming, basically," he insisted.

"But the more I play and practice and pay attention to it, the more I know where I am going. It's just that there are times, out on the course, when I doubt the alignment. When you know it is not quite 100 per cent right, you doubt it.

"But I hit a lot of good shots out there, which is encouraging. In terms of putting, I got a bit frustrated. It is hard when you are not holing putts. Putting comes and goes and you have good weeks and bad weeks. I feel it is only just around the corner."

Probably his best shot was left until the end, on the 481-yard par four 18th. After hitting a drive down the right side of the fairway, Harrington was left with 217 yards to the flag. When informed of the distance by caddie Dave McNeilly, he gave a wry smile. It was the perfect distance for his four-iron, but he had left it out of his bag yesterday in order to put in an extra wedge for bunker shots.

Having to decide between a five-iron and a three-iron, he went with a five and hit it to eight feet.

"Yes, it was a lovely shot, wasn't it? I struck it really well, just as I hit some lovely ones through the round," he said. "But I was trying a bit too hard. I went out to shoot a 66 or 65 to get up there on the leaderboard and I just went out with too high expectations. And I didn't stay patient."

Can he win from so far back? "It's not beyond the bounds of possibility. I'm still there, but I have a lot of work to do."

While Harrington was focused on this own thoughts, and had hit the range within half an hour of finishing his round in an attempt to sort out his alignment problems, he was also conscious he at least had a chance to sort things out on the course - unlike the Ryder Cup players who failed to get into the field.

"It's a pity the other guys are not here," said Harrington. "It doesn't matter how much time you spend on the range, you can't check things like alignment problems and feel unless you are out on the golf course. I really believe that everybody who was there last year (in St Louis, when the event was cancelled because of the terrorist attacks), should have got in this year. But I suppose they have set rules and can't change them."

One player who is here but who can't find the answers to his own questions is Darren Clarke, who dropped to last place in the field at the midway stage after a second round 76 for 151.

"I'm not concerned. I'm mystified," said Clarke. "I've practised harder this week than I have for quite some time, but I've not played as bad as that for probably five years. I'd have been better having a couple of pints than going to the range.

"I'm extremely disappointed. I've been practising well, but just scoring dreadfully. Shocking really. But I will just have to keep doing what I am doing and hope it comes around.

"I've put in the hours to try to get things right for next week, but I was hoping it would also make me play better here. But my form's going the other way. I can't seem to do anything right. I've had a cold all week, but that's no excuse whatsoever."

Clarke suffered the fifth bogey of his round on the 18th where he was bunkered by the green and then insisted on raking the trap himself rather than allowing his caddie, Billy Foster, do the work.

"We're changing tomorrow," joked Foster. "Darren's caddying and I'm playing."

At least there is no cut in this championship and Clarke, rather than an early trip home, can seek to work out his problems on the course over the weekend and get a boost heading to The Belfry.