Padraig Harrington and Ian Poulter, first and second in last year’s British Open, have been drawn together in the first two rounds of the French Open on Thursday and Friday. The pair will be joined by home favourite Thomas Levet.
Just two weeks before his Turnberry bid for a third successive Open — something last achieved by Australian Peter Thomson — Harrington is in dire need of a good result to boost his confidence.
The Dubliner has missed his last four halfway cuts and five of the last six. Moreover, his last top-10 finish was back in January.
Poulter has not won since late in 2007 in Japan, but was runner-up to Ryder Cup teammate Henrik Stenson in the Players Championship in Florida in May and has had three other top-10 finishes in the States this season.
This will be his first appearance in Europe for eight months and only his second since he finished four behind Harrington at Royal Birkdale.
This week’s field also includes Masters champions past and present in Jose Maria Olazabal and Angel Cabrera and they will tee off with Lee Westwood, while Colin Montgomerie partners Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jeev Milkha Singh.
There will be a strong Irish challenge with Harrington joined in the field by Graeme McDowell, Paul McGinley, Damien McGrane, Darren Clarke, Peter Lawrie, Shane Lowry, Michael Hoey, Gary Murphy and Gareth Maybin.
