Golf-Harrington misses cut as Echenique forges ahead in France (Reuters)
July 3, 2009
By Norman Dabell
ST QUENTIN, France, July 3 (Reuters) – Padraig Harrington’sabysmal run of form continued when he missed the cut at theFrench Open on Friday, trailing 15 shots behind second-roundleader Rafa Echenique of Argentina.
Echenique, runner-up at last week’s BMW International Open,carded a four-under 67 for a 10-under total of 132.
Germany’s Martin Kaymer (72), South African Charl Schwartzel(66) and Britain’s Steve Webster (65) shared second spot on 134but Harrington missed his fifth successive cut after limping toa 75 for 147, five over.
A triple-bogey eight on the 14th after he went out of boundsat the National course near Versailles ended the triple majorwinner’s hopes of regaining some confidence ahead of his BritishOpen title defence at Turnberry, Scotland in two weeks’ time.
The 38-year-old Irishman ran up 66 putts in his two roundshere and it is his touch on and around the greens that istroubling him the most.
“I’ll be hitting plenty of putts and wedge shots over thenext few days, you can be sure,” Harrington told reporters aftermissing the cut by four strokes.
“I’ve certainly shown a weakness in my putting this week, itgot on top of me.”
IRISH PGA
It was Harrington’s last chance to find form for Turnberryon the main circuit because next week he plays in the Irish PGAChampionship, a non-European Tour event he has won for the lasttwo years.
“It’s hard to think of shooting 20-under, 15-under or even12-under with the form I’ve had but it could all change nextweek,” said the winner of the 2007 and 2008 British Opens andlast year’s U.S. PGA Championship.
Echenique, who produced a rare albatross at the final holein Munich last week, recovered from a first-hole bogey bypicking up five shots in the next eight holes.
Webster mounted his challenge just days after having surgeryfollowing an accident at home. The Englishman was hit in the eyeby a loft door last week and needed stitches.
Shane Lowry made his first cut since winning the Irish Openas an amateur in May after avoiding a two-shot penalty for beinglate on the first tee by only 10 seconds.
The burly Irishman had to dash 200 yards and leap severalfeet down on to the tee after being warned he was running out oftime. He went round in 72 for a total of 141.
U.S. Masters champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina (70) missedthe cut on 145.
(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this storyemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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