A golf miscellany compiled by PHILIP REID

Harrington: has unique experience

Pádraig Harrington had an unwanted first at Wentworth yesterday when he took three attempts to get out of a greenside bunker on the par three second hole in running up a triple-bogey six.

“I don’t think I ever did that [before],” said the three-time Major champion of what became a live imitation of the classic Hamlet cigar advert.

The Dubliner – who was four over after two holes and finished on that mark in signing for a 76 – attributed his horror start of bogey-triple bogey to “over-eagerness” early in the round.

The damage came on the second where his nine-iron tee-shot – “a pretty straightforward shot,” he agreed – found a bunker. On his first two attempts, he tried to get the ball close to the pin but failed to escape the trap. On his third try, the ball had rolled back into one of the holes created by an earlier sand shot and he was happy to find the green.

Unwell Hoey: bites the dust

Just like a marathon runner hitting the wall, Michael Hoey – who'd struggled in recent days with a heavy cold – had nothing in reserve when the wheels came off late in his round.

The in-form Belfastman, winner of the Hassan Trophy in Morocco in March, was flying along after a hat-trick of birdies from the 11th to the 13th. He was three-under and close to the top of the leaderboard when his round unwound with two double-bogeys in three holes, at the 15th and the 17th, with a par sandwiched in between.

"I felt terrible the last two days. I had a dusty bunker shot (on the 15th) and just hit OB left (on 17th). I wasn't in control of what I was doing really, so I'm not too disappointed. I had no feel for the club. It's not nice. It's the biggest tournament of the year (on the European Tour) but I knew it was going to be tough."

Not the norm: Rose recovers

Justin Rose's pre-round routine was far from the norm: he spent time in the doctor's chair after complaining of vertigo-like spells of dizziness.

"The weirdest thing," recalled Rose after shooting an opening round 67. "I was nearly falling over and my whole morning routine was way off. He [the doctor] gave me anti-nausea [pills] and I felt fine all the way around.

"It's not ideal, but sometimes it lowers the expectations. It's funny how that often works out in your favour."