Torrey Pines, CA …
Padraig Harrington has undergone Cryotheraphy treatment in the goal of easing the discomfort of a trapped nerve in his shoulder heading to the start of his new season and this week’s Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines struggling with a trapped nerve in his shoulder.
Harrington will tee-up on the stunning clifftop course overlooking the Pacific Ocean just north of San Diego in what is the first of five straight PGA Tour events for the Dubliner.
His last event was some two months ago in finishing well down in the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship while Harrington’s last PGA Tour appearance was in August at the Travellers Championship.
Harrington is no stranger to Torrey Pines having finished T36th behind Tiger Woods in the 2008 US Open and Woods last taste of Majors glory, while the Irishman has contested the Farmers Insurance Open event every year since 2009.
Padraig Harrington undergoes Cryotheraphy treatment heading into his first event of 2017.
The current World No. 123rd ranked Harrington played a practice round Tuesday in the company of fellow Irish Open winner, Soren Kjedlsen and Scotand’s Martin Laird.
And while he was yawning constantly throughout the round, Harrington also struggled to constantly find fairways on a very wet course given the drenching southern California has been enduring.
In fact, Harrington went as far as undertaking Cryotheraphy treatment that involves stepping inside a tank, up to your neck, of freezing water for three minutes that deadens any irritated nerves.
Padraig Harrington’s long-time caddy Ronan Flood ‘eyeing’ Harrington’s shot into the 17th hole during a Farmers Insurance Open practice round. (Photo – www.golfbygtourmiss.com)
“I’ve had nine weeks where I haven’t played a whole lot of golf but while I’ve been keeping myself busy working out I am dealing with a couple of niggling injuries at the moment,” said Harrington.
“One of those injuries is a trapped nerve in my right shoulder and to be honest, it’s been there for a good while now while I have a couple of other complications.
“I’m on anti-inflammatories for my shoulder and getting regular treatment but as you can see, it is affecting my driving.
“But then it’s good to be starting a New Year and I know this course very, very well even though I am a bit ropey and rusty”.
Padraig Harrington drives off the last in practice for the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open as Martin Laird looks on. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
Once again, Harrington’s side-stepped the European Tour’s ‘Desert Swing’ and is committing himself to five PGA Tour events in a row up to and including the February 23rd starting Honda Classic in Florida, and an event he won in 2015.
“I need to play my 15 events on the PGA Tour to maintain membership so there’s no choice in my book,” he said.
“So, when I go back to Europe in the summer I will have played enough to go close satisfying that number.”
And while Harrington says this week at Torrey Pines is about ‘playing his way’ into form, the 45-year old has one eye of qualifying for April’s Masters.
“As everyone knows, I keep my goals to myself but getting back into the Masters is the big gaol in these first few months of the New Year,” he said.
“So hopefully some very good results in coming weeks and months will help out in that regard.”
Joining Harrington this week is Shane Lowry and contesting the Farmers for a third year running, and after efforts of T13th a year and T7th on debut in 2015.
And Waterford’s Seamus Power will take his place in the $US 6.7m event after being well down on the reserve list less than a week ago.
