Harrington struggling

Padraig Harrington was in trouble again yesterday with the neck problem which seriously hampered his challenge in the USPGA Championship last weekend. But he remains determined to take his place in the NEC Invitational, in which he earned $109,000 for a share of 12th place last year. Clearly disappointed while heading towards the putting green, the Dubliner said: "I will have to keep my preparations down to the minimum. I had hoped a full rest from the game yesterday (Monday) would do the trick, but to be perfectly blunt about it, I'm in a bad way.

"I can't move my neck, which means I won't be able to swing the club properly. So I'll have to make do with the restricted movement which got me through the four rounds at Valhalla."

Through considerable pain on Sunday, he finished with a 74 for a share of 58th place and $10,250. Harrington's problem has to do with a muscular strain of his left shoulder, which is sending referred pain to his neck. For all of last week in Louisville, he received daily treatment from Australian chiropractor Dale Richardson, who resumed treatment on him yesterday.

"Knowing Firestone as I do from last year, it is a course where you need to be in the whole of your health," he added. "It is long and demanding, which means you have got to drive the ball well if you are to avoid a series of long-iron second shots. And my driving is going to be very restricted, as it was last week." Colleague Darren Clarke, who started with a 68 and finished with a 67 for a share of ninth place ($112,500) at Valhalla, went to New York on Monday but returned to the practice range here yesterday. His objective is to improve markedly on his performance of last year when he shot a last round of 75 for a share of 36th place and $35,000.

For Paul McGinley, the third member of the Irish group, it is his debut appearance in a World Golf Championship event, which he earned by being among the top-12 Europeans in the Order of Merit after the British Masters earlier this month. McGinley also made his debut in the USPGA last week, when he failed to make the cut.

"The problem at Valhalla was putting, as it has been for me since the British Open," he said, while working with his coach, Pete Cowen. "It was very frustrating to have played well from tee to green all week and then be as low as 140th in the putting statistics after two rounds. I know I'm a good putter, it's all about confidence."

Seeing the 7,139-yard Firestone stretch for the first time, McGinley described it as "the longest course I've ever played".

By way of illustration, he went on: "I hit three-iron second shots to three of the par fours on the front nine - the fourth (458 yards), the sixth (469) and the ninth (470).