TPC:  Padraig Harrington's slim hopes of contending at the Players championship are fading badly after he made a disastrous start to his second round this morning.

Having finished with an unspectacular round of 73 yesterday, Harrington - twice a runner-up at Sawgrass - bogeyed the first before double-bogeying the fourth.

The six came when he was bunkered in two, went over the green from there and left his chip nine feet short.

He then gained some composure with a run of birdies at the seventh, 11th and 12th but then undid that good work with further bogeys at the 13th and 15th.

The Dubliner closed with a birdie four at the 16th to finish with another one over par 73 and sit two over for the tournament.

With the lead, shared between Stephen Ames, Davis Love III and Jim Furyk, at seven-under, the Dubliner is faced with a mountain to climb between now and the close of play.

Indeed, with the projected cut set at level par, Harrington faces the very real possibility of not being around for the weekend's action.

It's a similar story for Paul McGinley.  He is one over through 13 holes but six over par for the tournament and is all but assured of his plane ticket home.

Darren Clarke had been hovering perilously just outside the cut mark but put together a fine two under round of 70 to lie one under par - a score which should see him around for the weekend.

Tiger Woods, meanwhile, set off again with two birdies to climb to two under.