If past appearances in Houston is any indication then Padraig Harrington has this week given those working at NASA’s Houston Space Centre ground control the week off.
Missing from the Redstone practice range is the computerized equipment and also missing is the four or five different drivers resting against his golf bag.
His long time caddy, Rohan Flood has hardly visited the Wilson Staff equipment truck and the company’s onsite representative has for once not been short of breath.
Of course, it remains to be seen whether this distinct lack of activity around Harrington in Houston can translate into him finding that propulsion to blast past his Augusta rivals and into outer space.
Padraig Harrington proudly showing his 'three sponsors for three week's initiative to help raise funds for an injured family friend. (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)
Anyway for three days in the build-up to taking to the Redstone course Harrington looks very much at ease and as though he is on cruise control.
Helping his demeanour was being in contention in the recent Transitions Championship, an event fuelled by a career-equalling best of 61.
“I am happy I had a good run at the Transitons in terms I was in contention,” he said.
“I would like to have a good week this week in Houston and be in contention so that if I get into contention at Augusta, it’s not something new.
“It is easier to win an event if you have been in contention in the weeks leading up the win.
“And just as Tiger showed last week at Bay Hill it helps having won going forward and definitely the more you get use to being in contention it doesn’t seem any different even if it is a Major.”
Of the 26 wins Harrington has captured in his career just twice has he won in a season before heading to Augusta and that was in Brazil and a week prior to the 2002 Masters and three years later in 2005 in capturing his first ever tournament on the PGA Tour, the Honda Classic.
“I will head up to Augusta on Sunday working on the exact same stuff, the exact same,” he said.
“There’s nothing any different and I’m just trying to prepare properly and to get my head around things so that when I’m at Augusta, I’m ready to go.
“So at this stage I expect to be ready and there is no spanner thrown into the works between now and then.”
The only change in Harrington’s pre-Masters build-up is a promotion to help further raise money for Gerard Byrne, a cousin of wife Caroline , who is now paralysed following a car accident.
For three weeks, the Shell Houston Open, the Masters and RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, Harrington will carry three sponsorship logos on his cap and attire. They will be ‘Identity’, the biometrics company owned by good friend, Dermot Desmond, the Boston-based ‘Clune Construction’ and ‘Blarney.com’ in the goal of raising over Euro 200,000 for Byrne.
“It is an ideal three weeks everyone as everyone is talking about these weeks highlighted by the Masters, and the fact I am playing all three events is a bonus,” said Harrington.
Harrington will play the opening two rounds in the company of American Bill Lunde and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and teeing-up at 1.10pm local time (7.10pm Irish).
Darren Clarke is out 10 minutes earlier from the 10th tee with the American pair of Chris Kirk and Charley Hoffman as partners.
And Graeme McDowell, runner-up in last weeks’ Arnold Palmer Invitational, is out in the morning half of the draw at 7.50am (1.50pm Irish time) competing alongside World No. 3 Lee Westwood and PGA Champion, Keegan Bradley.
It’s the first time McDowell will play alongside Bradley while is as well the first occasion McDowell’s caddy, Ken Comboy has caddied at Redstone in suburban Humble.
And Comboy and his caddying colleagues are in for a good walk this week with McDowell’s coach, Peter Coleman measuring the full distance, including walkways from green to tees, as 11 kilometres.
