January 20 -- Padraig Harrington took his bazillion swing thoughts to the tee Thursday and wound up one off Charl Schwartzel’s lead after a 7-under 65 in the opening round of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
It’s not all that surprising that Harrington, who broke a two-year winless string in October, would challenge some of the world’s best after the opening round. What is somewhat astounding is that he can even hit the ball, given the massive amount of data clattering around inside his head.
11 changes. Harrington treated the media to a first-hand look at the 11 alterations he made prior to this week’s event. He started at the top of the club.
"I used to put my grips on 45 degrees open with a reminder,” Harrington told reporters. “I've gone to round grips. I don't waggle over the ball anymore. I only look up once now. I get it right, I only look up once, instead of twice, or three times."
Harrington was just warming up, as he went on, laughingly, to provide mind-numbing details about his club take-away, the plane of his backswing, shoulder turn, and downswing. With all that, it’s no wonder Mr. Fix-It seemed a tad confused about what to think when he got over the ball.
"I haven't had a swing thought on the golf course in 14 years," said Harrington. "But I've just spent six weeks with 10 swing thoughts and it's very hard not to have any."
Harrington, who believes he’s closer, at No. 26, to attaining golf’s top ranking than he was when he was No. 3 in 2008, lives to fidget with his game.
Not eccentric. "I'm complicated, but not eccentric," he said. "I'm the most optimistic person you'll meet. The day I don't have something to work on, I probably won't be as excited to get up in the morning."
Harrington, by the way, was more than keeping up with the big boys in Abu Dhabi. Schwartzel, fresh off the defense of his Joburg Open title in South Africa, held a two-shot lead over U.S. Open champ Graeme McDowell. PGA champ Martin Kaymer was one behind McDowell. Top-ranked Lee Westwood opened with a 69, while Phil Mickelson, who began the week sharing fourth place in the world rankings with McDowell, was at 1-under.
Despite Hollywood celebs teeing it up at the Bob Hope Classic, read how golf’s stars in golf are in Abu Dhabi.
Comments