Chaska: Padraig Harrington says he has buried the bitter disappointment of his stumbling finish at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and is in optimistic mood for his title defence at this week's US PGA Championship.
The Irishman had to settle for second place behind Tiger Woods at Firestone Country Club on Sunday after squandering a one-stroke lead with an ugly triple-bogey at the 16th.
"The great thing about golf, there's always next week," triple major winner Harrington told reporters at Hazeltine National Golf Club on Tuesday. "That's the fantastic thing.”
"I didn't sleep great Sunday night. I was tired but I struggled to get to sleep and I woke up early still thinking about it.”
"But the minute I hit the practice round here I'm thinking about the PGA (Championship). It's all about the PGA."
Seeking his first victory this year on the PGA or European tours, Harrington's title bid at Firestone unravelled after he found the right rough off the tee on the par-five 16th.
He ended up in tangly grass behind the green for his third shot before his fourth bounced across the putting surface into a pond.
While Harrington wound up with an eight, Woods birdied the hole after hitting an exquisite eight-iron to a foot, effectively being handed the title as he benefited from a four-shot swing.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 12:29