Harrington misses cut number five in a row
Last Updated: 03 July 2009 19:20
Padraig Harrington's nightmare run of missed cuts went to five in Paris today - just as many as Tiger Woods has failed to make in his entire 13-year professional career.
With his Open hat-trick bid less than two weeks away, Harrington's fate was effectively sealed when he drove out of bounds and ran up a triple-bogey eight at the 14th hole of his second round in the French Open Alstom at Le Golf National.
The Dubliner, who finished with a 75 for five over par, freely conceded on Wednesday that he was running out of time to get his game in good enough shape to triumph again at Turnberry.
Now he has only next week's Irish PGA championship to find a bit of competitive confidence before heading to Scotland.
Harrington, who last played four rounds of an event at the Players Championship in Florida in early May, left a tournament which at the halfway stage sees Argentina's Rafa Echenique - last week's albatross man in Munich - take over at the top from German Martin Kaymer.
It was more his putting than his eight which troubled the three-time major winner.
Harrington, who felt his three-putt bogey at the 13th to drop to two over was the crucial mistake, said: ‘I was never comfortable on the greens all week.
‘I'm hoping that's all it was. I just struggled - just putted terribly and didn't get any confidence. That's reflected in the score.
‘It showed up the weakness in my putting. I've been happy with it and still am physically, but it certainly got on top of me this week and that's where the focus will be.
‘You don't just click, but I have another week. The last six months the focus has been on my swing and definitely now I will be firmly focused on my previous strength - a good, sharp short game.
‘I'm not worried about how hard they set up Turnberry. I will be more worried about how I am - but I can manage any challenge.’
Echenique, who finished runner-up to Nick Dougherty last weekend after holing a three-iron on the final hole, added a 67 to his opening 65 to reach 10 under.
Kaymer, having matched the course record with his opening 62, took 10 shots more and from three clear dropped two strokes behind in joint second place.
Alongside him are England's Steve Webster and South African Charl Schwartzel, Webster shooting a best-of-the-day 65 a week after spending five hours in hospital.
He was helping his father when a loft door hit him in the left eye.
Webster, who missed last week's event in Germany following the incident, said: ‘I was worried quite a lot at first because it cut inside my eye.
‘I had to have X-rays first and then stitches. The doctor told me 'Lay on the bed and don't move - I'm just going to put two needles in your eye.'
‘I had a black eye for a few days, but I was lucky really. I told him to make me a better putter while he was at it and he seems to have done a good job!’
Former European Tour player Gary Evans was also given some of the credit, however, after making a couple of suggestions.
‘He was a great putter and if I putt well I can shoot low. It's a nice feeling when you hit it to 15 feet and feel you have a chance of making it.’
Echenique commented: ‘I've had a good three weeks and you have to enjoy the moment.
‘I received lots of emails and calls after what happened on Sunday, but I always try to keep on the same level.’
His biggest problem was bloodshot eyes caused by an allergy.
Lee Westwood is only four back in a tie for seventh, but last year's runner-up Colin Montgomerie - without a top-10 finish since then - triple-bogeyed the final hole and only just survived the cut.
Masters champion Angel Cabrera went out on three over, but Irish Open amateur winner Shane Lowry made his first cut as a professional at the fourth attempt.
There was a scare first, however. He had the wrong time on his mobile and made it to the first tee with only 10 seconds to spare.
A two-shot penalty or even disqualification could have followed if he had missed his start time, but as it was he shot a 72 for one under and made it through with two shots to spare.
