Triple Major winning Padraig Harrington is like a kid in a candy story ahead of returning to Augusta National and the Masters.
What a difference a year makes in the make-up of the affable Irishman who this time last year had slumped 164th in the world and with the Dubliner needing to capture the Shell Houston Open to keep alive a 14-year unbroken Masters run.
That dream ended with a second round 79 on the Golf Club of Houston course to miss the cut for a first time in eight appearances in America’s fourth largest city.
Padraig Harrington, and with a training aid wrapped around his legs, practices under the watchful eye of coach Pete Cowen. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
Fast forward 52 weeks and Harrington got his first look at the Houston course this week playing 10 holes.
“I always like coming here to Houston, the golf course again is in superb conditions and you can’t argue about the weather as it’s superb,” he said.
“As preparation for next week, it’s a good preparing as there is a lot of testing shots out there that you will find playing at Augusta, so a lot of similarities.
“So today and tomorrow’s (WED) Pro-Am will be about preparing myself for Augusta but come Thursday morning, for me it’s all about the Shell Houston Open and trying to win this event”.
The last occasion Harrington won so close heading to Augusta National was 15 years ago when he made his Masters debut in having captured the 2000 Brazil Sao Paulo 500 Years Open and the week proir his Masters debut.
“I am very excited to be going back to the Masters and it is very much like 2000 when I played in my first Masters,” he said.
“There could not have been a better scenario for me going to my first Masters and that was winning the week before in Brazil.
“My game has been bubbling since winning the Honda Classic so I feel as though everything is all decent and good about my game.
“So after having missed the Masters last year I’m a bit like a kid in a candy store as I can’t wait to get back there next week.”
The only change in Harrington’s equipment since ending a seven-year winless drought in winning a second Honda Classic is that he’s replaced all the heads of the irons in his bag.
And joining Harrington his week is fellow Irishman Darren Clarke and will be heading to next week’s Masters to take up the fourth of a five-year exemption in winning the 2011 Open Championship.
However Clarke has missed the Houston cut in his past four showings but has fond memories of runner-up on debut in 2002.
