Harrington says McIlroy's burden lifted

Rory McIlroy is the Irishman the world of golf is talking about, but Pádraig Harrington will be very happy to change that this…

Rory McIlroy is the Irishman the world of golf is talking about, but Pádraig Harrington will be very happy to change that this week. Runner-up in The Players Championship in 2003 and 2004, first behind Davis Love and then Adam Scott, the 38-year-old Dubliner starts his bid to go one better at Sawgrass later today.

At the time of those second places Harrington was known more for his near-misses than his wins, but that all changed, of course, when he captured two Open Championships back-to-back and then the US PGA title as well.

He is all too aware, though, that since Oakland Hills 21 months ago he has not had a Tour victory anywhere.

"Every time I tee it off I'm kind of desperate for a win," admits Harrington.

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Not that he is unhappy with his game. In March he posted third and eighth place finishes on his last visit to Florida and last week he came back from missing the halfway cut in The Masters to come seventh at Quail Hollow.

That was where McIlroy produced his spectacular 66-62 finish to win his first US Tour title by four and it must have arrived as no surprise when the first two questions at Harrington's press conference yesterday were both about the 21-year-old Holywood golfer.

A guest at the party to celebrate the youngster's birthday on Tuesday night - and particularly fond of the chocolate ice cream cake dessert - Harrington said: "I was of the opinion that there was too much expectation and too much pressure being put on him.

"While he had all the ability in the world it was hampering that ability. I think that was the tough part, but now that's won that burden has gone.

"He can be a lot more relaxed about his performance and be a lot more patient."

As for his own game, Harrington did not view Augusta as too much of a disappointment.

"I took a good approach to there and I just didn't play great golf, but last week was good because some of the parts of my game that I would consider weak were very strong.

"Some of the strengths of my game probably didn't perform as well as I would have liked, so it showed a lot of potential and I left very happy."

The US Open is only six weeks ago and having come fifth at Pebble Beach in 2000, albeit 17 strokes adrift of runaway winner Tiger Woods, Harrington is eagerly awaiting that.

There are 23 Europeans in all at Sawgrass and they include the last two winners, Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia.

The main attention, however, will inevitably be on Woods as he comes under challenge from Phil Mickelson for his world number one spot - and on McIlroy now that he has broken through in the States.