6/11/2013

Soft Days for Padraig Harrington

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Padraig Harrington feels the persistent rain in Pennsylvania will mean that officials will find it tough to defend the Merion lay-out.

The course in Ardmore has been bombarded by a deluge of rain over the past few days leaving the track - which is short by modern standards at under 7,000 yards - in decidedly soggy condition.

Thus with the greens set to be very receptive and a number of shorter par-four holes to attack, Harrington is expecting the players to take advantage.

"The one defence of the short holes was the firm greens and tough pin positions which makes them very difficult," the Dubliner told Sky Sports. "But it doesn't matter how tough they get the pin positions; if we're hitting a wedge into a soft green, we can hit it close."

Persistent rain on Monday meant that many players were unable to get in a full practice round at Merion, a course which is hosting its first major championship for some 32 years.

But three-time major champ Harrington insists that will not prove a huge problem, claiming that most players know what to expect when they compete at a US Open tournament.
Fairways and greens

"The key is not to get too bothered about it (the weather)," he continued. "The good thing with the US Open, to be honest, is that 18 holes of practice is plenty for a US Open style golf course.

"You've got to hit the fairways and hit the greens, it's not like you've got to spend a lot of time working out the golf course."

The plentiful rain has led many observers to revise their opinions about the profile of a potential winner, but Harrington insists he is not sure exactly who the soggy conditions will favour.

"It's hard to know, does it suit a big long hitter or does it suit a straight hitter... or a guy slightly in between? It will suit the guy who plays well, makes good decisions and holes putts and hopefully it's me this week," he concluded.



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