Do Harrington’s pre-Open struggles matter?

It was the week of the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie, and Padraig Harrington was struggling.

Yes, he was ranked 10th in the world.  Yes, bookies tabbed him as the fourth-favorite to win the thing.  But he missed the cut in 2004, missed the entire tournament in 2005 and failed to play the weekend yet again in 2006.  Padraig Harrington’s memory didn’t fail him, but his confidence was another issue.

“I think [the odds] might reflect the fact we’re in Great Britain and Ireland, and there’s a lot of home support and the bookies know they can pull the odds down a little bit and people will still put money on me,” he said, taking an opportunity for self-deprecation in lieu of self-promotion.  “I’m capable of [winning] it, but doing it is another question.”

At dusk on Sunday, he was the champion at -7, having simultaneously defeated Sergio Garcia and his personal golfing demons.

But that wasn’t enough to alter his expectations a year later.  He felt the ill effects of a wrist injury.  He felt the pressure of defending his title.  He felt things, negative things, both physical and mental, which wore on his psyche.  “At times I’ve thought, ‘Do I want to put myself through this time and time again?’” he lamented.

Sure enough, he bucked up and outlasted the impossible Royal Birkdale, finishing four strokes clear of a field that saw only four players finish below +10.

Now, yet another year has passed, Padraig Harrington has added a PGA Championship to his résumé, and these were his thoughts Tuesday: “I could only be hopeful, rather than expectant, to put in a good performance this week.”  He’s undergoing a swing change — something that plagued the game of Tiger Woods, even — and it’s cost him.  From Golf.com:

“As sometimes happens, Harrington’s full-swing struggles have seeped into other parts of his game. He’s ranked 137th in putting (1.793 putts per green), 182nd in driving accuracy (52.8 percent of fairways hit) and 182nd in greens in regulation (60.06 percent). The result? No top 10s on the PGA Tour this year, one top 10 on the European Tour, and three consecutive missed cuts on each tour heading into Turnberry.”

So, with an energized Tiger Woods in the fold after missing last year’s Open and stiff penalties awaiting those who miss the fairway, can Harrington realistically gun for his third consecutive Claret Jug?

The answer may lie with his own precedent.  Keep in mind that this isn’t the first time Paddy’s struggles have made headlines entering this tournament — not by a long shot.

“Harrington ignores odds in quest for European win (2007):” [Independent]
“Wrist injury not Padraig Harrington’s only concern (2008):” [Times Online]
“Padraig Harrington brings swing changes to 2009 British Open at Turnberry:” [Golf.com]