On his own but never a loner

THE US MASTERS:PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON doesn't profess to be a philosopher or a psychologist. Give him numbers to crunch and his accountant's mind will go into overdrive. And, yet, there are times when he can provide – more articulately than anyone else in the locker-room – as insight into the tough, lonely and often selfish life in which a professional golfer must survive.

Some succeed, some fall by the wayside and, others, even the great ones, lose their way.

Yesterday, as the 38-year-old Dubliner continued his build-up to the US Masters here, Harrington was side-tracked from his focus and primary aim for the week – that of seeking to claim a fourth major – into providing a personal observation of how Tiger Woods found it so difficult to have any normalcy in his life on tour.

You’d assume Harrington, a major winner and a global player for much of his time on tour since turning professional at the tail-end of 1995, would be one of those who had got to know Woods. Not so. He didn’t, he admitted, really know him.

“I think everyone found out he was difficult to know,” admitted Harrington.

He explained: “At the end of the day, Tiger has always struggled to mix with the players purely because anywhere he goes, people want his time. He is not somebody who comes into the locker-room and sits down and talks about other sports. He will be there in a rain delay, but he knows that he can’t spend any more time than necessary around the golf course, because that’s always a stresser.

“Everything just builds up. I’d suggest to you, over the years, besides in a rain delay, he would use one out of 10 locker-rooms.”

That isolation, imposed, as it were, on Woods by circumstance, was never a road Harrington would venture down, as he has ensured that family, friends and fellow-players became a part of his time away from the course: movies, dinner, etc.

“On tour, it is one of the most critical parts to have. When I finish my golf, I have friends around me and I have a social aspect outside of the golf. That’s me looking in.”

And, yet, there are times when Harrington will be the loner. Yesterday was one of them, as he continued his preparations by playing 18 holes on his own, fine-tuning for a tournament where he brings an improvement in form that just requires the extra leap from being a contender into a winner.

A year ago, he arrived here as a double major champion – having claimed the British Open and US PGA in back-to-back majors in 2008 – with all the hype of the so-called “Paddy Slam” accompanying him.

“You know, the way I’m coming in, it feels the same to me as it did last year. I don’t feel any different.

“Yeah, my form since winning the PGA, that’s me. That’s just my nature. Just the way I play golf. I’m always trying to improve and get better as a player, and I believe I am. Yes, at times I do sacrifice results for other things. Results are not always everything.”

Results in regular tournaments may not have the same weight as results in a major, but this week counts.

“My whole career now, after winning three majors, is going to be judged on the majors. I do make sacrifices for those majors and try to get in shape for them. I’ve played four majors since I won at Oakland Hills, and really got myself into contention in one (last year’s US PGA).

“So, one out of four is a little below average; but two out of four, we’d be doing pretty good. I know with the percentages, if I’m in contention twice a year, I’ll knock off a few more majors, and I will make all of the sacrifice in the world for those opportunities. So, no, I have no problem in the world with my form.”

In his last three outings, Harrington has contended in various stages of the event: in the WGC-CA Championship (tied-third), the Transitions Championship (tied-eighth) and the Houston Open (tied-40th). Getting into contention, especially in the run-up to majors, is important.

“I like to build up, to get into contention in tournaments and feel what it is like to be in contention. If you play well this week, there will be a fair amount of stress every day and a lot of stress on Sunday afternoon.

“The key is to be in that position coming in, so you are familiar with it and you are comfortable. I am comfortable. I know it is not too far away.”

While Harrington chose to play his final full practice round alone, the other two Irishmen in the field, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, played in a group that included Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee.

McIlroy has been grouped with Camilo Villegas and Kenny Perry (first round tee-time 5.36pm Irish time) for the first round tomorrow, while McDowell tees off with John Senden and David Toms (1.34pm).