BERNHARD LANGER was stung by the very suggestion that he might quit the game. "I'm not someone who would give up because things weren't going my way," he said at Druids Glen yesterday, responding to a story that had been doing the rounds in the US two weeks ago, when he was disqualified after signing for a wrong score in the second round.

In effect, Langer had already provided the answer through his sparkling play in Paris last weekend, when he eventually lost a play-off to Robert Allenby for the French Open title. In a stunning surge towards the title, the German covered the outward journey in 30 strokes - which might have been 29, had a 10-foot birdie putt on the long ninth found the target.

It was reminiscent of Mount Juliet 12 months ago when a similar surge lifted him into contention for the Irish Open title. Seemingly destined to be among those simply making up the numbers, he covered the first 12 holes of his final round in a sparkling eight-under-par - five birdies, two eagles, four pars and a bogey.

As it happened, he had actually reached what proved to be the play-off score of 11-under-par at that stage. But he then found water for a double-bogey six at the treacherous 13th and his challenge fizzled out. "That and last weekend was some of the greatest golf I have played in my whole life," he said

All of which has tended to substantially dilute assertions that he is in serious trouble once more with his putting. "When I have a problem, I face it and work things through," he said. So, what was the solution to his latest putting woes? "I did a lot of praying and a lot of thinking," he replied. "And I changed putters and got a better feel by moving my hands forward a bit."

I wondered if his progression (regression?) to a method whereby the putter grip is pressed against the inside of the left forearm - pioneered by the Scottish professional Ian Marchbank, had limited his options of surviving another attack of the yips. "Why should it?" he replied. "I have all the options as before. I can grip the putter any way I want - orthodox, cack-handed, any way."

By the standards of a player who has gained at least one tournament victory every year on tour since 1980, Langer was having a decidedly moderate season until last Sunday when he gained his first top-10 finish on either side of the Atlantic. In four tournaments in the US, he missed the cut at Doral and in the Honda Classic was tied 13th at Bay Hill and was tied 36th in the Masters.

So, Paris was a timely boost. "I played very well and I was happy to get into contention and into the lead after being eight strokes back after two days," he said. "Obviously I was disappointed at not winning after creeping my way up the leaderboard, but I had a wonderful weekend and just the confidence-booster I needed."

Langer is among the distinguished few - with Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo - who have won the Irish Open three times. Indeed his second victory, at Portmarnock in 1987, was the product of astonishing scoring when rounds of 67, 68, 66 and 68 gave him a record, 19-under-par aggregate of 269 and a 10-stroke victory over second-placed Sandy Lyle.

Indeed Ireland has proved to be very profitable golfing terrain for him. As recently as last September, he captured the Smurfit European Open at The K Club, holing a spectacular, 75-foot eagle putt on the 72nd hole to force a play-off with Barry Lane, before going on to sink a 20-foot birdie putt at the second extra hole. That was his 46th victory worldwide and his third of last season. But he has drawn a blank sheet since.

His first taste of Druids Glen suggested that he was steeling himself for a formidable challenge. "If the wind blows, I would take an aggregate of two or three under right now," he said, as a reflection of the difficulty of the homeward journey.

"It was very tough - long and very narrow, with lots of rough," he went on. "The rough is severe along the fairways and around the edges of the greens, and there's lots of water and protruding frees. Seventeen (203 yards) is a very tough hole for the size of the (island) green.

"At 18 (452) I hit as good a drive as I can, and though I cleared the water with a three-iron second shot, I didn't reach the green. When it is calm it is all right, but when the wind blows, which you can expect here because we are close to the sea, it is going to be extremely difficult. They will have to put some of the tees forward."

Eamonn Darcy was Langer's playing partner at Portmarnock in 1988 in his attempt to defend the Irish Open title. The yips had returned with a vengeance and he missed the cut after a second round of 77. Could he recover, Darcy was asked? "If anyone can do it, Bernhard will," replied the Irishman. Those who watched him in Paris last weekend would have echoed those sentiments.