Harrington doesn't want to know

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON will go it alone with his swing for the next few weeks following his well-publicised break up with coach Bob Torrance at the Irish Open.

The world number 66 was at pains to leave the door open to a return to his swing coach of 14 years when they decided to “take a break”, and he won’t be looking for a replacement during his two-week sojourn in the US.

Harrington said it was crucial not to break his bond with Torrance – and that’s why he refuses to hear what Torrance had to say to the press in Killarney last Sunday when the 79-year-old Scot explained why they had reached such an impasse.

“I haven’t read anything,” Harrington said as worked on the range yesterday. “And I don’t want to know. Okay? That’s why I am telling you straight out.”

Torrance didn’t hold back, explaining: “He has been going down one road that I think is the wrong one and he is determined to go down that road. I said to him, if you go down too far, you won’t come back.”

According to Pete Cowen, who coaches Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood, it’s just as well Harrington chose not to hear what Torrance had to say.

“Players and coaches get back together provided there is no animosity with the break,” Cowen said. “Take Steve Williams with Tiger. He should have kept his mouth shut and said, ‘we’ve had a great time and it was unbelievable’, and that’s how it should end.”

Cowen believes Harrington and Torrance will be reunited before long, explaining: “A bit of freshness can have a positive effect. It’s like a relationship. They always go back to the old girlfriend because they know they were safe.

“If you have had great results with a coach, that coach almost becomes a good luck charm, and players don’t get rid of good luck charms if they have had great success.”

Butch Harmon believes Harrington will eventually rediscover his form, though he wonders about some of the changes he has made.

“It’s sad to see him struggle when you consider how well he played. But I think you see a lot of guys go through that,” Harmon said.

“He is too good a player and he works too hard not to work it out. He will get it back. Watching from afar, it appears that he has made swing changes to try and hit the ball further. Now, whether that is good or bad, time will tell.”