Harrington feels it's time to move on

GOLF: USPGA CHAMPIONSHIP: JUGGLING, ALL the time juggling. His time, and his thoughts. Yesterday, Pádraig Harrington – who admitted he hardly got any sleep on Sunday night as his mind kept harking back to that 16th hole at Akron – sought to recalibrate his mind and body ahead of the 91st USPGA Championship here at Hazeltine National.

With Tiger Woods yesterday refuting reports he had been fined by the US Tour for his criticism of referee John Paramor in putting them on the clock at a critical juncture of their head-to-head in the Bridgestone, calling it an “erroneous report”, and the world number one adding fuel to the fire in remarking that officials should have used “better judgment” in issuing the time edict, Harrington attempted to refocus ahead of the defence of his title.

How do you refocus? By indulging in some comfort food eating and going hunting for frogs, it would seem. On Sunday night, Harrington allowed himself “a first burger of the year” and, then, after a sleepless night, escaped the post-tournament stress by catching frogs with sons Paddy and Ciarán in the swimming pool and fishing in the pond of their rented house in Minneapolis.

So, by the time Harrington got to the course on Monday afternoon, receiving a standing ovation from spectators in the grandstand behind the driving range, the process of recharging the batteries – physically and mentally – had started.

Still, as he discovered yesterday, the timing issue that blighted a rare auld duel between the Irishman and the American on Sunday refused to die. When Woods was asked if he regretted personalising things by naming John Paramor in his criticisms, he responded: “No. Because he’s the one who did it.” And Woods – obviously still irked by the issue – further added: “I thought they would have used better judgment (in putting the players on the clock on the 16th, where Harrington ran up a triple bogey eight) . . . we were the ones going to win the golf tournament in the last group. We separated ourselves. And after what Paddy went through, we were still right there behind the group in front of us. So I don’t know if the group in front were being timed or not, they didn’t look like they were rushing. But it certainly influenced us in how we played and influenced the outcome of the tournament, (it’s) not how you want to have (it) come to an end.”

Harrington, though, refused to be as direct as Woods on the matter which has crossed state lines from Ohio onward to Minnesota. “I reacted poorly to the situation, and that’s my fault . . . as regards what he (Woods) said, I think it’s easier for him having won the tournament, he can take the high moral ground and say what he wants. Having lost the tournament, I’m going to sit back and take it on the chin and say it was my mistake.”

Instead, Harrington claimed he would use it to his advantage in the future. “I learn from all situations. I could see how quickly I got knocked out of the zone on 16 (at Akron), and that’s something that I have to be very careful of going forward. That’s an area I can definitely improve.”

After that incident in Akron, where he held a one-shot lead on the 16th tee but walked off the green three strokes behind Woods, Harrington talked with his caddie Ronan Flood and sports psychologist Bob Rotella to “analyse it and take the positives from it, I can see myself becoming a better player because of it . . . the great thing about golf is there’s always next week. Like, the minute I hit the practice ground here, I’m thinking about the PGA. It’s all about the PGA.”

Now, Harrington – who had endured a miserable season up to the Bridgestone – heads into the defence of his title here determined that he will be fresh and well come tomorrow’s first round, where he is grouped with Woods and 2002 champion Rich Beem.

“Last week was not ideal preparation, leading a tournament from day one is mentally draining,” said Harrington. “The key for me is to find a way to get enough preparation in but not overdoing it . . . I’ve two days to try and get calmed down and to get ready. I don’t know what to expect from Thursday on.”

Still, he knows the art of winning majors, as the Dubliner has demonstrated in collecting two British Opens and a USPGA inside the last two years. “The win last year (at Oakland Hills), being able to shoot the scores on the weekend, knowing that if I stay in touch I can still produce the fireworks if necessary, that’s an important thing . . . there is confidence, definitely, from having done it.”