Harrington ready for 2008

By Brian Keogh

Padraig Harrington believes that becoming a father the second time is the reality check he needs to win another major.

Speaking at the launch of his book, "Padraig Harrington's Journey to The Open", the Dubliner confessed that changing nappies will bring him back down to earth after the joy of winning the Claret Jug.

Harrington plans to donate all the royalties from the ?20 book to deserving charities through his foundation.

But as he prepared to become a father for the second time next week, he admitted that domestic life and that little voice inside his head is just what he needs to get going again.

He said: "Being a dad again might bring me back to reality - changing dirty nappies.

"It doesn't matter if you are the Open champion when there is a baby screaming and a dirty nappy to be done.

"But there is also the fact that inside there is a voice telling me that I have to grind harder and work harder to make sure I don't get complacent.

"In order of sustain anything I have got to work harder and make sure I don't slip back.

"I have got to cover all the bases. I still enjoy doing it but there is a little voice in the back of my head telling me to go out and do it.

"I practised there today and went to the gym. I will probably get a reprimand from my trainer for overdoing it. I am still not doing what I am told.

"The hardest thing is to do nothing, There is a little man in the back of my head driving me on to get out and do the work.

"The thing that has pleased me most was the reaction I got from my fellow pros, especially in America. I was chuffed with that.

"I didn't realise that it would be taken as well. Most players were genuinely happy to see me win and that was pleasing.

"Now I am just concentrating on getting my schedule right and I think I have done that as well as I can."

Harrington has already set out the lion's share of his 2008 schedule and his bid to win a second major.

And his master plan includes a flying visit to US Open venue Torrey Pines for January's Buick Invitational to prepare and skipping a World Golf Championship event for the first time.

Despite all his efforts to play less, Harrington will still play over 30 events next year.

Yet it is not about the money but about getting everything perfect for the Majors and the Ryder Cup.

He said: "It is all about getting ready for the majors and that is where my focus lies.

"Since I won the Open it has been busy but I have nearly got the stage that I want to be at tournaments again so I can reduce the amount of stuff I have to do.

"Two months after the Open I was definitely struggling with fatigue but I am happy now that I am in my winter break.

"I have three weeks off at the moment before the Target. In a perfect world I would love to reduce the number of events I play next year.

"I did my schedule out up the to the Ryder Cup and reduced the number of events nicely but then added three more in afterwards

"With the Buick Invitational on at Torrey Pines on the US Open course I have added that one in.

"I was only going to play two of the three FedEx Cup events but with the Tour Championship coming after the Ryder Cup now I am likely to play all three.

"I am going to miss my first World Golf Championship next year and not play the CA Championship at Doral because it would mean playing four events in a row going into the Masters.

"I am trying to get more events in before the Masters. This year I only played five events in the run up to the Masters but this year I will have seven and I will feel good and strong going to Augusta."

"The main thing is getting the schedule right. The key is that I am my own boss and get to choose what I want to do. If I wanted to play 20 events I couldn't do it.

"The schedule is incredible. It is the hardest thing for a player playing internationally to manage.

"As Open champion I could go anywhere. I have turned down a number of events already and I have pinpointed a couple that fitted in, like Abu Dhabi and the Ballantines in Korea. "

Harrington will defend the Irish Open at Adare Manor and also revealed that if the Irish PGA is played the week before the Open at Birkdale, he will defend that too.

But while the Open win is still fresh in his mind, he still reflects on what might have happened if he had lost the title after those two visits to the Barry Burn.

And he confessed that while he was embarrassed by his gaffes, it is nothing to compared to how he might have felt if he had lost.

He revealed: "People still judge me for taking driver on the last. And I won the tournament! Imagine if I didn't win the tournament.

"The good thing now it is that I understand that I can mess up and still win. I don't have to be perfect to win. I can still make mistakes.

"But if I had lost, it would have hit home the next time. Would I have wanted that pain? Because it is a lot of pain.

"Sergio? I don't think we have managed to speak a word to him since. I am not the person to put my arm around him and console him. That is for his family to do.

"In some ways it is awkward. I don't have much to say to him, he was disappointed and I was thrilled. There is nothing I can say to make it easier for him.

"I know if I had lost, I would have struggled to get into that situation again. I have put my neck on the line plenty of times but I would have struggled to come back from this.

"That's why I felt embarrassed by taking double bogey on the 18th on the 72d. You are putting yourself in the public eye."

Once the new baby comes, Harrington will be putting himself out there again.

Harrington's 2008 schedule

Jan 17-20 Abu Dhabi Championship
Jan 24-27 Buick Invitational, Torrey Pines, San Diego

Week off

Feb 7-10 AT&T National Pro-Am Pebble Beach
Feb 14-17 Northern Trust Open, Riviera, Los Angeles
Feb 20-24 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, Tucson, Arizona

Two weeks off

March 13-16, The Ballantine?s Championship, South Korea

Weeks off

Mar 27-30 New Orleans Classic, New Orleans, Lousiana
Apr 3-6 Houston Open, Houston, Texas
Apr 10-13 The Masters, Augusta, Georgia

Three weeks off

May 8-11 Players Championship, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
May 15-18 Irish Open, Adare Manor
May 22 - 25 BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth

Week off (Skip Memorial)

June 5-8 St. Jude Championship, Memphis, Tennessee
June 12-15 U.S. Open, San Diego, California

July 3--6 European Open, TBC
July 10-13 Irish PGA, TPC
July 17-20 British Open, Birkdale
July 31- Aug 3 WGC Bridgestone Invitational
Aug 7-10 US PGA, Oakland Hills GC, Michigan, USA

Week off

Aug 21-24 Barclays Classic, Harrison, New York
Aug 29-Sept. 1 Deutsche Bank Championship, Boston
Sept 4-7 BMW Championship, St. Louis, Missouri

Week off

Sept 19-21 Ryder Cup, Valhalla, Kentucky

Sept 25-28 Tour Championship, Atlanta, Georgia