More horror for Harrington; Ireland seventh in Argentina
Pádraig Harrington Dantesque slide to 353rd in the latest world rankings was summed up by his final round performance in Mississippi last night when he racked up a quintuple bogey nine on his third hole of the day.
The Dubliner came home tied for last of those who made the cut, somehow battling his way to a four over 76 having been six over after just three holes in the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson.
Having made the cut with ease on five under, Harrington hinted that disaster might be around he corner when he racked up three sixes in four holes on his back nine in a third round 76, including a double bogey at the 12th.
On Sunday, his confidence appeared to wither when he bogeyed his opening hole, the 10th, and missed a five footer for birdie at the 11th.
A tugged drive at the 12th — a frequent problem in recent weeks — saw him put his 113-yard approach into a water hazard and take five to get down from 32 feet with Shottracker date reporting the four-putted from 22 feet.
It was his equal worst single hole score on the PGA Tour, matching a quadruple-bogey nine at the 12th in the 2001 US PGA in Atlanta.
It also brought back memories of disasters on successive Sundays in August 2009, which he has always denied signalled the beginning of his decline in the short game department.
Battling Tiger Woods down the stretch in the WGC-Bidgestone Invitational at Firestone, he was on the clock and pitched into the water from behind the green to take eight at the par-five 16th and kiss the title goodbye.
Seven days later he was at Hazeltine and took a quintuple bogey eight at the par-three eighth at Hazeltine when pushing to defend his US PGA title.
Two visits to the greenside lake at the 167-yard par three ended his challenge and he did well to card a six over par 78 to finish tied for 10th.
He showed similar resilience yesterday, coming straight back from his nine with back to back birdies only to birdie the 15th and 17th to turn in 42.
Three more birdies followed at the first, second and sixth before he bogeyed the seventh in a second successive 32-putt round in an event won by Canada's Nick Taylor, a recent graduate from the Web.com Tour.
Harrington's next outing comes in this week's OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico before he winds up what he admitted recent has been a "terrible" year so far with a likely appearance in Asia.
Copa Tailhade winners Canada
Amateur golf — Ireland finished tied for seventh behind runaway winners Canada in the Copa Tailhade in Agentina.
Tullamore's Stuart Grehan closed with a 70 to finish 11th the individual standings on four over 288, 15 shots behind Canada's Austin Connelly, who won the individual by seven shots on 11 under.
Stackstown's Richard Bridges tied for 22nd in the individual on 10 over after a closing 72.
Canada's Connelly and Corey Conners won team title by 19 shots from holders Spain.
