Tortured souls tend to congregate around The Belfry, but they don't all seek, or find, salvation. A year ago, on the Saturday of this tournament, Lee Westwood was on the verge of quitting - his words - only to go out the next week and claim the first of five tournament wins in a season that was to see him become European number one.

This time, he comes into the Benson and Hedges International Open having played just four times in almost six months and unsure of what to expect. "Everything is coming back," he said, "but I'm just not sharp enough yet!" Recent first-time fatherhood, however, has changed his priorities in life. "I'm still not focused on golf, it's not my priority, and I'm not expecting too much," Westwood added.

His predecessor as Europe's top earner for the previous seven years is also unsure of what lies ahead this week. Colin Montgomerie hasn't survived to the weekend of a tournament since Dubai in the first week in March - having missed the cut in his last two outings, the US Masters and the Portuguese Open. A sign of his despair is he practised eight hours solid for seven days last week in an effort to regain his touch.

Montgomerie hasn't won on the European Tour for 50 weeks, and he admitted: "It's about time I won again. Last week was the hardest I have worked in 12 years as a professional and I am sure that the rewards will come. It could be this week, next week or in three weeks time . . . but I'm sure it will happen," he said.

The two players confessed to experiencing some sleepless nights of late: Westwood because he is changing nappies and other fatherly duties, Montgomerie because he is "tossing and turning" worrying about the downturn in his game.

So, if Westwood, who incidentally confirmed yesterday he won't be playing in next month's Murphy's Irish Open, and Montgomerie are seeking some redemption this week, how about Padraig Harrington?

If anyone should feel that this Brabazon course owes him something, then the Dubliner would probably be entitled to feel he should be at the head of the queue. Last year, he was five shots clear of the field going into the final round only to be disqualified when it was discovered he hadn't signed his first round card.

The memory is still there, if not quite of the haunting variety. "Having won and having played well since then has negated any loss of the tournament," said Harrington. "If I'd played badly since last year's Benson and Hedges I would be tearing my hair out and saying it was all the fault of that one not signing the card. But I'm never going to have the tournament back, no matter what I do throughout my career, no matter how many other tournaments I do win. I still didn't win that one.

"The more wins you have, or the more you're playing well, then the less you think of the past and the more you think of the future."

Nevertheless, Harrington changed his normal tournament week routine this week. He didn't arrive at the course until yesterday's pro-am - when he had the familiar faces of Ken Doherty, Eddie Jordan and Dave Marren as his team-mates - and, too late, he has discovered his swing isn't quite as he would like it.

"My swing could be a little bit better, but also my rhythm and concentration as well. The two of them are fighting with each other and it's too late to work on anything on the practice ground," said Harrington.

Strangely, though, that is similar to how he felt prior to last year's tournament. In fact, he started double bogey-bogey in the first two holes of last year's first round, but was five shots clear by Saturday evening. It still rankles that his third-round 64 wasn't allowed to stand as a course record - "I didn't break any rules that day," he said.

Harrington is one of six Irishmen - along with Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, Paddy Gribben, David Higgins and Eamonn Darcy - in the field.

The man who made the most of Harrington's misfortunes last year was Jose Maria Olazabal, who put down a marker for the defence of his title by winning last week's French Open. "I have never won back-to-back on the tour, so it would be nice to do that this week and also successfully defend as well," said Olazabal.