Defending Honda Classic champion Padraig Harrington unsuccessfully tried to entice a hydraulic camera tower to locate his ball during the opening round at PGA National.

Harrington’s tee shot disappeared into a tree down the 10th fairway and while he was given a pair of binoculars to try and locate his ball the search eventually proved unsuccessful.

“It was a nice tee shot but a little punishing and I am sure it will happen again to another player this week, so the odds of it happening again are very strong,” he said.

“It’s not the first time I have had to use binoculars and actually I was trying to get a hydraulic camera tower over there on the left of the fairway to come over and help me out.

Binoculars. Rarely a good sign.

Harrington searches for his ball. pic.twitter.com/olYXqUzrrf

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 25, 2016

“But they weren’t interested.

“I even thought about getting one of the photographers long lens but there was non one available.

“So it was disappointing as on a tough day, and a very windy day, you don’t want things going against you.

“If you get over par it’s always hard on days like today to claw it back.”

Padraic Harrington (IRL) on the 18th during round 1 of the Honda Classic, PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA. 25/02/2016.
Picture: Golffile | Fran Caffrey
All photo usage must carry mandatory copyright credit (© Golffile | Fran Caffrey)

The sight of Harrington with binoculars rekindled memories of Spain’s Alvaro Quiros also using binoculars to locate his ball during a final round triple bogey but also on route to victory in the 2011 Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Harrington ended with a three over par 73 to be trailing eight shots behind the leading duo of Spain’s Sergio Garcia and American Michael Thompson.

However losing a ball up a tree has not been Harrington’s only concern this week as he was forced out after three holes with a middle back complaint during Wednesday’s Pro-Am.

“The bad is good and no problems at all though I had a lot of treatment on it, like about four hours this morning before tee off to get it fine,” said Harrington.

“I just had to pressurise it as much as I could during my practice and it definitely cost me a couple of shots out there today not playing a full Pro-Am round yesterday like playing shots from the rough where you get a feel for the course.

“It’s the first time it’s happened it me and it’s just a practice thing and I am not too stressed about it.”