Golf:Pádraig Harrington left Bethpage Black after a missed cut at the US Open insisting he was confident he would be ready to defend his British Open title at Turnberry next month.
Having struggled all year on the European and PGA Tours as he has worked on modifying his swing, the three-time major winner missed his fifth cut in six starts after consecutive rounds of 76 on Long Island for 12-over-par.
Yet the Dubliner, who will also defend his US PGA title at Hazeltine in Minnesota in August, believes he is close to making a breakthrough, despite a miserable time in New York.
“It can come round in a day,” Harrington said. “This game is fickle in that way but I would believe that it can come around in four weeks and that by the time I tee it up at The Open that I will be ready.
“I suppose with current form there is more hope than expectation because there is not much to expect of, but I’ll do the same preparation for The Open as I did last year and that’s all I can do.”
Harrington said he would work with long-term coach Bob Torrance in his build-up to Turnberry but would not get “bogged down”.
“There will be a little bit of work with Bob, but it will be more going over stuff; not too much detail,” he said.
“It’s a catch 22: it’s not about more work; it’s about less in some ways. While I will do some work with Bob, I will also be aware of not getting bogged down by things that I don’t need to.
“I have never been the type of person that hits one good shot and everything’s okay but I also have never been the type of person that worries about results in the short term.
“I know if I keep doing the right things that it has worked before and it will work again.”
Despite his long-term optimism, Harrington was more downbeat about his last two weeks’ work in Memphis and at Bethpage Black when he missed the cut both times.
“It’s hard to take anything positive out of this,” he said. “My short game was sharp today which was pleasing but it wasn’t yesterday and that was the same as last week.
“One really good day and one really poor day - it needs to be working for the four days and all running together.
“I have been a bit erratic but I just have to wait for it to come back.”
