Europe's old guard gave Padraig Harrington a massive vote of confidence at Adare Manor this week.

The over 50s brigade took an analytical look at Harrington's recent run of second place finishes and concluded: You're no choker Padraig.

When Harrington finished second for the 19th time in his career at last week's Benson and Hedges International Open at the Belfry, his ability to play well under pressure was called into question once again.

But while he has won three tournaments in the past eight months and looks likely to win again soon, question marks remain as just why he seems to struggle to wrap up tournaments he looks destined to win.

But the old guard are not worried at all. In fact, the general conclusion seems to be that with Harrington, the best is yet to come.

Ryder Cup hero Christy O'Connor Jnr, winner of 17 events worldwide since 1970, has no doubt that the young Dubliner has nothing to worry about.

"Even Tiger has given him the thumbs up," said Junior. "If he is tenth we say, 'Another great finish by Padraig', but if it's second we say, 'What's wrong with the guy'. Believe me, he'll win lots more, don't worry. You just can't win every week.

"He's just missing a tiny step. What he's doing is absolutely unbelievable. Who wouldn't want to be out there finishing second nowadays. We love first but there is only one first and I think he has done quite unbelievable."

Straight talking Aussie Ian Stanley, who won the Senior British Open in 2001 and 24 other titles on the Australasian Tour is another who dismisses Harringtons critics.

"Early in my career I had 18 seconds in 18 months," he confessed. "It's a learning curve and at least he's not running 20th or 30th every week. He's second, second, second and once he gets to know how to win and wins a big one he will be better able to do it.

"Perhaps he has to play the final holes a bit more conservative, because he does attack a bit. But what a record he's got."

Clare's Joe McDermott, who won the Irish Seniors Open in 1998 at Woodbrook, believes that Harrington is following in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus.

"Nicklaus was second far more times that he won," he said. "It's a 50-50 situation. It's not a bad sign that he's second. It's a good sign that he was there and any time you flip a coin it's 50-50. To be second in a field of 144 or whatever is not bad and he'll win plenty more."

Former Ryder Cup skipper Bernard Gallacher said: "I don't think he's got a thing about it. Like his second to Davis Love in the Players Championship. Someone else has come out and played fantastic golf.

"Padraig's sensible enough to realise that the more he plays the more he's going to pull it off. If he wins a couple of times this year he'll have had a great season and it will all be forgotten about."

But for Cork's Denis O'Sullivan, Harrington is simply trying to create the perfect swing.

"He's trying to train his instinct or muscle memory and that works for 14 or 15 holes and then it reverts," he said.

"The second places? Isn't it wonderful? Better than third anyway. And I'd have no worries about his character or anything like that. The guy has great bottle and he proved it against Tiger last year in America. He has changed so much in his set up that it is hard to appreciate just how difficult it is to get right at the beginning."

And his former coach, European Tour director David Jones, has no doubts either about what is going on.

Jones said: "I have enormous admiration for him and I coached him briefly when he was a young man. Even at that age, 15 years old, he had a very analytical grasp. He was under pressure from Stackstown where he was a highly regarded young Senior Cup figure.

"I said to him, you can change this now and you are going to be a disaster for a while. But he took it on board and he did the changes. He might not be the most technical player in the world but he is very analytical and dedicated.

"I know he had the year when he was second seven times or something and I know how that feels. When I started in senior golf I went into the final round four times, leading each time and shot four under and lost. And everyone was saying, 'He has a monkey on his back and he's a choker' and all that. But if you know in your own heart that you are not giving them away, then that's okay."

But the 55 year od Bangor man admits that he has made some mistakes.

"Sure, he might have given a few away and made a few funny decisions in my view such as going to the Italian Open last year to squeeze a few points when he was going for the money list.

"Or this year where he played an extra event in America, coming back from the Masters. But if you asked me for three names that are going to win Majors in the next few years I would go Harrington, Justin Rose and Paul Casey as opposed to Montgomerie and Clarke or whoever.

"I think Padraig's dedication and his structured attitude will, when he gets the technique completely sorted out, stand him in good stead."

With a vote of confidence like that from a man of Jones's calibre, Harrington's best ever year may be just around the corner.

Golf shorts

(Walt)

Philip Walton will defend the Quinn Life Charity Trophy at Slieve Russell next week.

The former Ryder Cup star looks like a man in form after coming from behind to win the Shell Enterprise Energy Carne pro-am at Belmullet in terrible conditions.

Walton opened with 74 to trail Brendan McGovern by three shots overnight but closed with a 68 in terrible conditions for four-shot win.

A resurgent David Higgins was second and looks to have regained his confidence after a tough 2002.

(Kids)
Promising young guns will take on the Tour pros in a special Pro-Am at the Castle in Dublin on June 26.

The event has been organised to highlight the Castle's youth development programme and celebrate the opening of six new greens.

Sponsored by ACCBank and Hilary Haydon & Co. Chartered Accountants, the club will also be holding a special Schools Challenge on the day.

Local schoolchildren will play three holes with European Tour pro Gary Murphy and other leading professionals.

Irish PGA regulars Brendan McGovern, Damien Mooney, John Dwyer, Leslie
Walker and Neil Manchip will play in the pro am with Christy O'Connor Jnr, Philip
Walton, Stephen Browne and Damien McGrane also set to make an appearance.

(East)
Competition at this year's East of Ireland championship promises to be the hottest ever.

The event takes place at Baltray from May 31 to June 2 with a record low handicap cut off mark of just 1.3.

Organisers received a record 222 entries so that the 150-strong field boasts 74 players playing of a plus handicap, almost double last year's figure and a further 20 competitors off scratch.

The reigning East and Irish Amateur Open champion Noel Fox will miss out to play in the British Amateur at Troon alongside fellow Walker Cup hopefuls Justin Kehoe and Colm Moriarty.

(R and A)

The Royal Bank of Scotland will issue a £5 note with an image of the R&A clubhouse to mark the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Royal and Ancient at St Andrews.

Top

© Brian Keogh 2003

Back