Padraig Believes Open Time is Vital

Padraig Harrington has come up with a novel theory to explain why there have been 15 different winners in the last 15 Majors.

The 2007 and 2008 Open champion believes it is all to do with the fact modern young professionals no longer believe they have to serve an apprenticeship before winning Majors and so play much more aggressively as a result.

“I think golfers are evolving,” he said this afternoon after a practice round on the Lytham course where he finished tied 37th behind America’s David Duval in 2001 and cites Keegan Bradley who won on his first start in a Major at last year’s USPGA Championship as a classic example.

“When I came out on Tour in ’96 everybody felt they had to learn to win and maybe lose a few tournaments before they were allowed a win.

“That has all gone now. Now everybody seems to believe they can win every time they tee up and that has gradually seeped into the Majors as well.

“Golf has become a sprint rather than a marathon. Guys are now turning up trying to shoot 20 under par and believe that if it’s their week they are going to win no matter what event they are playing in.

“Most weeks there are probably 100 guys who are charging for the finishing line thinking they have a chance to win. This week there a probably 50 people in this field who believe they can win if they hit form and they are quite happy to keep charging and not back out.

“Dominating like Tiger is hard to do nowadays because there are too many aggressive players about.”

Against that backdrop the Irishman was wary about discussing his chances this week at Lytham but a tie for 8th in The Masters and a share of 4th place at the US Open suggest he is almost back to his best.

“I’m playing solidly and putting better,” he said. “That’s essentially it. It’s interesting. I’d say a lot of areas of my game are better but I’m still not winning.

“Golf is a strange game,” he added. “You can play better and still not win. That’s where I am at the moment but if I can keep playing solidly hopefully it will be good enough this week.”