Harrington desperate for competition after FedEx flop

Padraig Harrington plans to add a European Tour event to his schedule before next month’s Ryder Cup after missing the cut at the Deutsche Bank Championship and crashing out of the FedEx Cup play-offs.

The Dubliner, 39, followed a damaging first round 74 with a three under 68 but still missed the one-under par cut by one stroke at TPC Boston.

Ryder Cup skipper Colin Montgomerie had hoped that his controversial wildcard would use the FedEx Cup to sharpen his game for the Ryder Cup. Now the Dubliner is wondering where he will get some competitive action just over three weeks before the European team assembles at Celtic Manor.

“I’ll definitely play before now and the Ryder Cup,” Harrington said in Boston. “What are the three (European tournaments)? I don’t even know, I’ll have to have a look.

“As much as I’d like a break, and a break wouldn’t do me any harm, I still want to be competitive going into the Ryder Cup. You can’t get the sort of competition you want unless you’re on a golf course in tournament play.”

The three European Tour events before the Ryder Cup are the KLM Open in Holland, the Austrian Open and the inaugural Vivendi Cup in Paris.

Having complained that fatigue didn’t help his game in New Jersey last week, Harrington is unlikely to make the trip to the Netherlands next week.

But he knows he must find some form and quickly if he is to play any meaningful role in winning back the Ryder Cup. 

He is under pressure to put in a decent performance after two winless Ryder Cup matches in a row and two years without a tour win.

But he continues to insist that his game is not as poor as his erratic results suggest.

“The game’s fine and solid,” said Harrington. “I’m just not letting it happen.”

Harrington wasn’t the only Irishman to suffer disappointment in Boston.

Rory McIlroy followed his opening 64 with a 76 to slip from third to 56th on two under - 10 shots behind leaders Brandt Snedeker and Jason Day.

Tiger Woods shot a 65 to ensure that he progresses to next week’s BWM Championship.