Irish trio keep leaders in sights

GOLF:PADRAIG HARRINGTON cruised to the turn in 33 to keep the leaders in his sights in the weather-affected WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral.

As Graeme McDowell was tied with Phil Mickelson on two under par through 10 holes, two shots better than a struggling Tiger Woods, Harrington birdied the 12th, 13th and 15th to sit comfortably inside the top 10.

The Dubliner got off to a fast start, holing a 10-footer for birdie at the par-five 12th (his third hole) and 25-footer at the 220-yard 13th to move straight into the mix at two under.

He then hit another super iron shot to just four feet at the 154-yard 15th to get to three under as Matt Kuchar and Ryo Ishikawa got to five under through seven and eight holes respectively.

It was almost as good for world number four McDowell as he showed Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson that he is a serious contender for the number one berth.

Beaten by two huge McDowell putts on the 18th green in the Chevron World Challenge last December, Woods got another taste of the Ulsterman’s devastating putting at the opening hole as the US Open champion rolled home a 30 footer for birdie.

Woods struggled to the turn in one over par, undone by some wayward driving and a bogey at the par three 13th before picking up a birdie at the par-five first.

But it was made look easy by McDowell, who turned in one under 35 with his only bogey of his front nine coming at the tough 18th, where he was forced to lay up after a pushed drive into the trees.

He bounced back with a birdie at the par-five first, where he hit his approach to five feet from a fairway divot and holed the putt.

Rory McIlroy made it to the turn in one under par, despite being forced to ice the big toe on his right foot after suffering an accident in the gym on the eve of the event. He told his 146,000 Twitter followers: “Just dropped a 50lb dumb bell on my big toe! Ouch!! Hope my foot fits into my shoe tomorrow!!”

McIlroy failed to birdie the par five 10th or 12th holes, but hit a long iron to just six feet at the 13th.