Golf:Pádraig Harrington, who won two of his three majors while Tiger Woods was out injured in 2008, has fallen from third in the world to 57th since then. But, far from feeling down in the dumps ahead of next week's British Open and no Woods in the field again, the Dubliner is excited.
For the first time since 1999 Harrington is warming up at the Scottish Open rather than at home and after his first look at the new Castle Stuart course near Inverness he is already sure he has done the right thing.
“I’m here because it’s on a links course, but who knows until you get out there yourself?” said Harrington today. “It’s way above expectations - and a great set-up for next week.
“It’s fantastic that we get that opportunity to enjoy this style of golf because it’s really different to what we are used to and takes a lot of getting used to.
“I cannot emphasise how different it is hitting an iron shot off the turf on a links course rather than on a standard parkland course. Some go further and some go shorter because of the turf.”
Harrington’s recent form is nothing to write home about, but he added: “I believe I’m getting there - I’m excited about my game.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge this week. Obviously if you are not in contention you are thinking about getting your game ready for the Open, but if on Sunday I have a chance this is a big enough tournament that I’d put all my effort into this and forget about next week.
“I’ve won the Irish Open and the Open. It would be nice to have another one of the home nation titles.”
As for his ranking positions, he stated: “I’m not a person who thinks he should be top 10, top five. Nobody deserves it by right - you are what you are.
“There is room for improvement. I fully believe I’ve got lots of room to go forward and I will go forward. It’s interesting - you don’t look at it (the ranking) when you are going backwards as much as when you’re going forwards.
“I haven’t looked in a long time!”
Meanwhile, Scotland’s number one Martin Laird has declared himself happy to be back in Europe - not just for two huge events, but also for a break from wedding preparations.
The US-based 28-year-old, the first Scot to make the world’s top 25 since Colin Montgomerie, is getting married in Colorado a fortnight after next week’s Open Championship.
“Obviously that’s the biggest weekend of the year. You only get married once - hopefully!” said Laird.
“We’re really looking forward to that, but it’s kind of nice to be over here and play a couple of really good tournaments and get away from all the wedding details.”
First comes the Scottish Open, which after more than a decade at Loch Lomond switches back to a links course, the spectacular new Castle Stuart lay-out.
Given the change Laird admits he is surprised there are not more American players in the field — although eight years ago, of course, Ben Curtis had never experienced links golf in his life when he won the Open at Royal St George’s.
Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Gary Woodland, Brandt Snedeker, Ryan Palmer and Brendan Steele are the ones who have crossed the Atlantic early.
“I got a lot of questions from guys the last few months,” said Laird, winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. “I told them I’ve not been here, but heard it’s great. I don’t know if it’s because it’s the first year maybe they didn’t come.
“Links golf is so different than the typical American-style golf. If you haven’t played on it for a while it does take you a little time to get used to it and get your feel back around the greens and stuff.”
It is only for the last two years that the Glaswegian, who went to college in the States and stayed there, has earned himself a place in the Open and he missed the cut at both Turnberry and St Andrews — the second of those after a second-round 83.
He is hoping for much better this time.
“I saw my coach the week after the US Open and really got some things sorted out - my usual bad tendencies - and feel my game is coming back around like the start of the year.”
