WITH THE Masters looming large on the horizon, Pádraig Harrington may still be ironing out the glitches in his game but the portents continued to look favourable at the Transitions Championship in Florida.

The Dubliner had barely taken to the course at Palm Harbor before Garret Willis set the clubhouse target at six under.

After grinding out 10 straight pars, Harrington finally got into red figures on the par five 11th as he chipped in from behind the green.

That eagle was promptly followed with a birdie at the next, thanks to a 38-foot putt, but a rare miscue led to him blotting his copybook at the 14th. With another shot dropped at the 17th, and the daunting 18th to come, Harrington appeared to be heading for a mediocre finish.

But he carded one of just a handful of birdies at the last to finish on two under and remain in the hunt.