Golf

Harrington goes Dutch as he seeks to regain missing touch

Dubliner will try to find the ‘intensity’ missing all season as he competes in KLM Open

Padraig Harrington will try to find the “intensity” which has been missing from his game all season as he competes in the KLM Open, at Kennemer Golf and Country Club in Zandvoort , for the first time in more than a decade . Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters
Padraig Harrington will try to find the “intensity” which has been missing from his game all season as he competes in the KLM Open, at Kennemer Golf and Country Club in Zandvoort , for the first time in more than a decade . Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters
Wed Sept 11 2013 - 19:42

Pádraig Harrington will try to find the “intensity” missing from his game all season as he competes in the KLM Open for the first time in more than a decade.

Harrington has recorded just two top-10 finishes on the European Tour this season – in January and March – and failed to finish in the top 125 on the US Tour to qualify for the lucrative FedEx Cup play-offs.

After finishing 41st in Switzerland last week, where he failed to build on a second-round 65, the 42-year-old is hoping to challenge for a first victory since his 2008 US PGA triumph.

“Obviously I missed out on the FedEx Cup events and at this time of the year you are looking to play golf and try to find some good form,” Harrington told European Tour Radio at Kennemer Golf and Country Club in Zandvoort.

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“It’s nice to come to two really nice events this week and last week and being not far from home it really does feel nice.

“Everyone will feel comfortable on this course but certainly it will play into my strengths and I am definitely looking forward to a competitive week.

“It’s very linksy tee to green and it’s quite windy and cold as well. The golf course will play well in this weather; if it was a big parkland course it would be miserable, but every shot can be hit in the wind out here. No matter how windy it gets this course will play well.”

Joost Luiten will carry the majority of home hopes as he looks to build on a superb season which saw him win the Lyoness Open in Austria and record five other top-10 finishes to lie 23rd on the Race to Dubai.

THE LOWDOWN
Course: Kennemer GC, Zandvoort
Prize money: €1.8 million (€300,000 to the winner)
Length: 6,619 yards.
Par: 70.
Field: 156
TV: Live on Sky sports from 10.30am tomorrow
Course overview: Shortest course on the European Tour, links-like in places tree-lined in others.
Weather: Rain late tomorrow. Cloudy and cool. 70 per cent chance of rain for last th ree rounds.
Irish in action: Kevin Phelan, Shane Lowry, Pádraig Harrington, Simon Thornton, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Paul McGinley, Gareth Maybin, David Higgins.