Pádraig Harrington has had little luck so far. Picture Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie:Pádraig Harrington was feeling down after a second round 75 but made the cut by two strokes after a long afternoon wait and then drew old pal Sergio García in the third round.

The two-time Open champion bogeyed four of his last five holes to slip nine shots off the led and confessed: “It was a disappointing day. I played quite nicely on the way out and didn’t make enough coming in there.

“And obviously dropping four shots in the last five holes is never much fun.”

Out in level par, Harrington bogeyed the 10th and then dropped three shots in a row from the 14th.

Even after a birdie at the 17th, he dragged his tee shot into the rough at the last and missed a 10 footer for par.

Disappointed not to take advantage of a watered course early in the day, he added: “The conditions were a lot easier today. I don’t know if the course is playing easier, but the greens are obviously a lot slower, and holding a lot more. And it wasn’t as fiery.”

Harrington was less than confident he would me the cut when he finished but after heading to the range in the afternoon he looked a far happier man as it became apparent he would make it with at least one shot to spare.