The continuing downturn Padraig Harrington’s career will see him enter U.S. Open qualifying for a first time next Monday at Walton Heath.

After missing out of qualifying for last month’s Masters for a first occasion in 14 years, he is now staring at the likelihood of not competing in a U.S. Open for 15 years.

Harrington will be among 121 players teeing-up in the 36-hole qualifier with the leading dozen players earning the right to contest the June12th U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.

The triple Major Champion got his first-ever look at Walton Heath earlier this week playing both the Old and New Courses.

“The Old Course is a fantastic golf course while people told me the New is every bit as good or tougher but there’s no comparison in my mind when it comes to natural golf shots,” said Harrington.

“You need to know the New more. The Old, you’ve got to hit it straight and there’s a lot of pretty long iron shots, a lot of 200 yard shots into greens whether it’s on par fives or par fours. There’s a lot more strategy in the new as in ‘do I hit driver up closer to the green and chance hitting it in the heather or do I lay it back’. Yet the Old’s a fantastic layout.

“Of course, I would rather not be going to Walton Heath and I don’t want to go there on Monday with any pre-determined idea of what I have to do on one course and not the other.”

Joining Harrington will be double Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal who has attended qualifying at Walton Heath six out of the past eight years but only managing to win through to the year’s second Major on three of those occasions.

Also in Monday’s field is former Ryder Cup stars Thomas Levet, Soren Hansen, Robert Karlsson and Edoardo Molinari.