Padraig Harrington shot three over par 75 to be trailing nine strokes off the lead in the first round of a 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier at Walton Heath in Surrey.
It is the first time in his illustrious career the triple Major winner has been forced to qualify for the season’s traditional second Major following the end last year of his five-year exemption in capturing the 2008 PGA Championship.
Harrington was among 104 players who teed-up in the cold and sometimes rainy conditions.
But after a birdie at the second on the New Course it was then a roller-coaster effort from the now 214th World Ranked Irishman.
Harrington bogeyed the eighth hole, double bogeyed the 11th, bogeyed 15, birdied 16 and then finished bogey and birdie.
“A 75 is not the start I was looking for and I have my work cut out this afternoon on the Old Course,” he said.
“I played practice rounds here on Monday and Tuesday but the rain we’ve had since then certainly has changed the nature of the courses.
“So I made a lot of mistakes and I’m feeling a little tired, so I have a lot of excuses that all adds up to a 75.”
Welshman Stuart Manley who was the very first player out leads the way in shooting a six under par 66 on the New Course, and in the 35 year old’s first attempt at qualifying for the U.S. Open.
He leads from the England pair of Oliver Fisher and Simon Griffiths who shot 67s.
And Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who finished runner-up in yesterday’s BMW PGA Championship, continued his good form shooting a three under par 69.
The leading 14 qualifiers at the end of today will earn a place into the June 12th commencing U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.
