There was no sun last week in the Sunshine State and now Padraig Harrington’s woes continued in the Lone Star State on the opening day of the Valero Texas Open.
Harrington could find little joy on a day delayed two-and-a-half hours due to fog engulfing the TPC San Antonio course.
And when it finally lifted Harrington struggled in shooting a four over par 76.
Not good reading – Harrington’s best results this PGA Tour season.
His despair was no more evident at the last when his second shot from down the left side of the split fairway at 18 kicked off the side of the green and into a greenside bunker.
Finding the same bunker was playing partner Aaron Baddeley of Australia but then here is where any contrasts ended.
Both Harrington and Baddeley are seeking to qualify for next month’s Masters and with Harrington watching in disbelief when ball flew the flagstick and rolled some 32-feet past the hole from where he eventually holed out for bogey.
Harrington lying 32-feet from flag after his bunker shot at the final hole on day one of the 2014 Valero Texas Open.
It seemed a reflection of the indifferent breaks Harrington is enduring in a quest to tee-up for a 15th straight occasion at Augusta National.
Baddeley was also in trouble when the Australian failed to get his ball out at first attempt but he then had the crowd cheering when he holed his next shot in a round of a two under par 70 to be just two shots behind clubhouse leader, American Pat Perez.
“I couldn’t recall the last time I played with Padraig but having been out there today competing alongside him, his game just seems a little off,” said Baddeley.
“He didn’t make any putts also missing a couple of short ones, and hitting a couple of loose drives.
“Then you saw what happened there at 18 and that’s sort of what was happening with him but then he’s got a great demeanour and we had a good chat all around the course.”
And after having one of the new ‘fat’ grips fitted to his putter, he recorded 32 putts that had him ranked 128th in the field in putting.
Fellow Open Champion Phil Mickelson fared little better slipping to the tail of the field and doubling the last hole in a round of 77 and in his first Texas Open appearance since his rookie season in 1992.
It was the five-time Major winner’s poorest score in 25 rounds in the 2013/14 PGA Tour wraparound schedule.
A spectator seeking Mickelson’s autograph on a 2010 Masters flag asked if his game was in good shape ahead of the Masters and he responded: “No, not at this stage”.
