Padraig Harrington discovered how to win the Open at spectacular Doonbeg yesterday - despite being bitten by Great White Shark, Greg Norman.

Norman beat Harrington by 2 and 1 in a challenge match to officially open the great new links he has designed in Clare.

Then he grabbed a sandwich on the run and jumped into a waiting chopper at the 18th green.

But Harrington feels he learnt enough on the links yesterday to prepare his Open challenge for Muirfield next week.

Said Harrington: "I am really impressed with what Greg has done here at Doonbeg. But I also know what I have to do on the practice ground between now and next week.

"I played a lot of half shots today, except off the tee and that will help me for Muirfield. You have to pick a place on the fairway, choose a shot and go with it."

Harrington has also changed to a driver with less loft - swapping his nine-degree Wilson for a seven-degree version - in order to get more run on the links fairways.

He said: "I have been working on hitting the ball higher over the past few years but I will need a lower flight for the Open so that's the reason for the change."

Norman flew off to Rome for three-day holiday after beating Harrington in a highly entertaining match.

The first was halved in birdie fours Before Norman birdied the third and then took advantage of a missed green by Harrington to go two up at the fifth.

Harrington punched a nine iron to 12 inches at the par-three ninth to turn just one down before Norman regained the advantage with a birdie at the par five 10th.

Harrington holed from 20 feet at the 11th to reduce the gap before Norman effectively sealed the match by firing a six iron to six feet for birdie at the spectacular 15th.

Added Harrington: "I was surprised to discover a links course like that. I didn't think that anyone would still make a links the way Norman has made this one. I thought those days were gone.

"I expected flat greens and flat fairways but this is a great mental test for a 72 hole strokeplay event and for matchplay you really have to think about your strategy.

"I didn't think that anyone could build a course like this in this day and age. Having a bunker in middle of 12th green says a lot about Norman's design philosophy and there is hardly another guy in the world who would do something like that. Greg is very much his own man."

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© Brian Keogh 2002

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