Focused Harrington primed for major effort

US OPENMUCH HAS changed in the year since Pádraig Harrington last swung a club in the US Open. Twelve months ago, the Dubliner left Oakmont mentally bruised and battered after an inexplicable mid-round collapse on the second day. It led to a missed cut; but, as if to prove that golf, as much as soccer, is a strange old game, within a month he was wallowing in the glory of being the British Open champion.

Much can change in a month. Four weeks ago, Harrington left Sawgrass with his mind swirling after a missed cut in The Players championship. Now, though, he is here at Torrey Pines - a spectacular cliff-top course overlooking the Pacific Ocean - relishing the chance to contend for a second major title. He looks lean and fit. But, perhaps more importantly, he looks comfortable and focused.

For the past couple of days, Harrington has belatedly got acquainted with the South Course at Torrey Pines. Originally, his 2008 schedule had included playing in the Buick Invitational here in January only for a bout of shingles to change those travel plans. Yet, since his first look at the course on Monday - when he played nine holes, from one to eight and then the par-five 18th - and, then, a full round yesterday, Harrington has liked what he has seen.

In short, the course fits his eye; and, in this game, that's a crucially important factor for any player with aspirations to the title.

Although the course is playing at 7,643 yards - a record length for the US Open - it doesn't, as far as Harrington is concerned, seem that long. "From what I've seen, length isn't as big an issue as it could be. In fact, I would fancy the chances of some of the very short, straight hitters this week. I would see them doing quite nicely . . . it looks as if it is wide open in terms of the field, with plenty of opportunities to play well."

Coming on the back of a fourth-place finish in the St Jude Classic last weekend, his fourth top-five finish in eight starts on the US Tour this season, Harrington at least believes he has arrived here on the back of good preparation.

"My concentration is getting better, my thinking on the golf course, my sharpness. All of those things, they're improving . . . I can't tell you now that I'm going to have a great week or I can't tell you it's going to be a bad week. I don't know what the result is going to be. All I can say is I feel ready, that things are on track."

By now, he is familiar with the course set-up the USGA favours for the US Open. This is his 11th appearance in the major (with best finishes of tied-fifth in 2000 at Pebble Beach and in 2006 at Winged Foot) and much of his work over recent years has involved changing his swing, under the guidance of coach Bob Torrance, to make it more suitable to playing the tight fairways and fast greens traditionally used in this major.

"I've worked hard at making my swing more consistent and orthodox so that I can compete on a US Open-style golf course. One thing you want in a US Open is to be able to hit the same shot over and over and over and over. It is about repeating yourself all the time. I've worked hard on my swing to get that over the years, and I've only figured out after all that work that there is never going to be a repeatable golf swing. But it has improved anyway."

One thing Harrington has prioritised since pitching up at Torrey Pines has been to work on his putting with Dr Bob Rotella. Prior to heading out to Memphis last week, Harrington - having missed the cut in the Wales Open - spent a couple of days putting at his home in Rathmichael in the foothills of the Dublin mountains.

He worked with no fewer than eight putters; and, then, having decided to use one (the SeeMore putter) for the first two rounds at Memphis, he ditched it again in favour of the Odyssey two-ball that was in his bag for the British Open win at Carnoustie last year and has, more often than not, been part of his armoury for the past five weeks.

It's back in his bag again this week, being used under the watching eye of Rotella on the practice green for much of the past two days.

"It's more about getting trust in my putting; that's what we're going on," said Harrington. "You know, it's always nice to have something to keep your energies focused on. I'm going back to trusting myself (on the greens) and to get my feel right."