Harrington retains lead at Bridgestone
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 Bridgestone Invitational | Round Two | 08 Aug 2009
Padraig Harrington has this week turned the clock back six months to lead the World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational at the halfway mark of the event in Akron, Ohio, a second round of 69 moving him to 7 under and one ahead of South African Tim Clark.
Harrington, who has missed six of his last eight cuts in events on either the European or PGA Tours bounced back with an opening round of 64 yesterday and today consolidated that early lead with a scrambling round of 70 on day two.
“I’m obviously pleased. I shot a good score yesterday, put me up there, and it’s nice to shoot a reasonable score to back it up,” said Harrington after completing his second round.
“I was a bit cautious at times; I suppose it is only to be expected when you’re leading the tournament. But besides that, I worked it around the golf course well, my short game was sharp. And yeah, I’m happy. I need to do a few things a bit better on the weekend, but I’m mostly happy with it.”
After months of re-working his golf swing, Harrington is now focused on playing the game rather than perfecting technique.
“When you’re into your technique, you want to hit good golf shots and make good golf swings. When you’re not into your technique, you just want to make good golf shots, you’re not interested in how you do it.”
“There’s a subtle difference in that. I was wholeheartedly into my technique for a while, and the last couple of weeks I’ve been much more into trying to get a bit more balance in my game.”
Tim Clark has again displayed his capacity to grind it out on tough and demanding golf courses. The current Australian Open champion has yet to win on the PGA Tour but on a golf course which will suit the grinders over the closing two rounds, he has himself well placed for a good weekend and perhaps that first win.
“Obviously since the U.S. Open I haven’t done a whole lot, but it is good to get a bit of a rest in there because there’s obviously a lot of golf coming up now,” said Clark. “So it’s nice to see that my game is sort of back to the level it was starting the year, and this is a great stretch coming up.”
“I think I always used to try and do too much on this golf course in the past, and I think the last few years I’ve realised you just have to get it in play, get it in the fairway and from there you have a chance. Because it is a bit of a longer course, I used to just try to do a little too much off the tee. This week I’ve tried not to get too much out of it, make sure I get it in play, get it in the fairway, and from there I’ve been able to score.”
Scott Verplank is at 5 under and two behind the lead, while Prayad Marksaeng is flying the Asian Tour’s flag with pride at 4 under along with Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly.
Tiger Woods treaded water today with a round of 70 to be at 2 under, but is only five behind and poised for a big weekend charge.
Robert Allenby is the best of the Australasians at 3 under and in a share of 7th position. The last few weeks have not been good for Allenby on the golf course but this is a promising week to date.
Nick O’Hern was impressive today with a round of 67 to be in 22nd position, Geoff Ogilvy is 25th, Danny Lee 36th, Stuart Appleby 46th, Mathew Goggin 58th, Nathan Green and Adam Scott 63rd.
