Monty quick to defend Harrington

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON doesn’t need anybody to mind his back – but, yesterday, as the man himself did his own thing by taking to the Twenty Ten course like a duck to water as he assumes a leadership role in Europe’s quest to regain the Ryder Cup, they queued up in his defence for what team captain Colin Montgomerie described as “very unjustified” criticism of the Dubliner’s wild card selection.

“I know what Pádraig Harrington can do, and that’s why he was picked . . . he’s a world player, he’s won three Major championships and the stature of the guy is second to none within our team,” said Montgomerie, who added: “He’s like a rookie (with his excitement), he’s playing the best golf of my team.”

Maybe Harrington’s ears were burning, because it seemed everyone was talking about the Dubliner. And one of them, vice-captain Paul McGinley, left us in no doubt about where he stood on a player he has soldiered with for so long on tour. “Pádraig was picked for a reason, for his ability to perform when the stakes are high . . . we have confidence in him and, now, we’re going to let Pádraig get on with it and put no more pressure on him.

“This is only Tuesday and we’re not going to find the answer today but we’re confident what the answer will be come the tournament. He’s played lovely today. Typical Pádraig, really solid and hitting it a long way.

“I have no worries about Pádraig. Yes, it was a big call to pick him but I personally don’t think it was a gamble because I, more than anyone else, know what he’s like. I think it was wonderful that he played last week (at the Vivendi Cup in Paris) and even more wonderful that he finished with a 64, it would have done him the world of good. It was confirmation that he wasn’t that far away . . . we’ve made a call and now we have to wait and see if the call is right and, if it’s not, we’ll be criticised,” said McGinley.

On a day when fog filled the bottom of the Usk Valley to briefly delay the two teams going out for the official first practice session, Montgomerie – as has been his way – was like a confident poker player revealing his hand: Harrington played with Luke Donald; Ian Poulter played with Ross Fisher; Rory McIlroy played with Graeme McDowell; the two Molinaris, Edoardo and Francesco, played together; Lee Westwood played with Martin Kaymer, and Peter Hanson played with Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Perhaps Monty was showing his hand straight away, or was it his way of lulling the Americans into thinking that this would be how the pairings would match up come Friday? Who knows? In contrast, Corey Pavin sent out his men in “pods” of four, rather than matching them up, with the stated aim to get themselves familiarised with the course. “They’re trying to map it out and plan their strategies,” remarked Pavin.

The European players, of course, are already more familiar with the course given the Wales Open has been staged over it since it opened in 2007. Harrington, who was unable to play in June after undergoing keyhole knee surgery, was one of those who used yesterday’s first day of official practice to refamiliarise.

And certainly, the evidence from Harrington was of a man very much up to the challenge. And Poulter, more than anyone, was aware of his form. Harrington, who had two eagles in his round, teamed-up with Donald to take the money off Poulter and Ross Fisher. “They cleaned us out,” said Poulter, adding: “Good fun . . . for them.”