US Open / Bill Elliott / 15 June 2009 /

Bill Elliott reads between the lines as Padraig Harrington discusses his chances ahead of the US Open, starting on Thursday.

Padraig Harrington should be one of the big favourites for the US Open this week. The fact he isn't quite in this exalted position can be explained by his failure to record even a top 10 finish anywhere since he started the year back in January with fifth spot in Abu Dhabi.

Yet he remains confident enough as he prepares for Bethpage Black. "Be patient and trust and things will come right," is his message to those fans concerned at his apparent lack of decent form. There are two big points to make here: 1) He only has won three times since the beginning of July 2007 but these three titles were The Open (twice obviously) and last year's USPGA Championship. 2) he doesn't actually care about anything outside the majors, preferring to play with the big weeks in mind no matter where he is teeing it up.

Okay, let's throw in a third big point here...form is temporary, class is permanent. "Fortunately in my game I don't have 70,000 fans watching me and not being happy so that I get substituted at half-time. I'm my own boss," he says.

"It really is now starting to get into the beef of the season. My goal is to peak through the next three months. I haven't had such a great start to the year because I've kind of been focused on other things. Now I've got to get down to business and, hopefully, through the US Open, The Open and the PGA I'll be back to top performances."

These "other things" consist mostly of tinkering around with a swing that was good enough to win him three majors, of aiming for more impact, more extension so that his worst shot is at least average good. Why? It's the old story...top sportsmen are never satisfied with what they have got (this is one of the reasons they are top men in the first place) and, anyway, Padraig's restless nature means he is forever on the far edge of dissatisfaction.

However, the time for relaxing a bit while upping that focus is now here. What is also certain is that he has found the key to taking on these major things and this key is devastatingly simple even if it eludes the majority of competitors.

"Yeah, I like the idea of majors, the actual concept of them," he says. "They do seem to me to be easier to win in some ways. I mean by that they feel more like a marathon than a sprint. At a regular tour event it feels more like a quick dash so that if you don't get off to a quick start you feel you're a little bit behind (and begin chasing).

"In major championships on the other hand you know it's going to come down to the last nine holes on Sunday. So, really, it is all about getting yourself into position to have a go over those holes. Mind you, there IS more pressure when you're defending one of these titles because there is so much of a spotlight on you going in so I know what's going to happen at Turnberry for The Open and then at Hazeltine for the PGA.

"But I'm prepared for all this. I have worked hard on my weaknesses this year, really tried to get to the bottom of my swing and, doing that, your strengths can sometimes become weakened in the process. But I am now where I want to be which is to say I am embracing everything. Now it is simply about performing and, as I have been recently, working on my strengths, especially the short game."

If you think you can hear an echo about this comment then you are correct. This sound is coming from Tiger Woods who would undoubtedly endorse every word Harrington says.

Woods, of course, is the defending champion this week following his heroics in California last summer when he won despite playing off one leg and he is the overwhelming favourite this time, having won in 2002 when the US Open was first played at Bethpage, a course close to 7,500 yards and rated one of the most difficult in the world. It is also acknowledged as "fair". For you and me, however, it may as well be sited on Mars, so different is it to what we would play.

Where did Harrington finish when he played in 2002? Tied for eighth as it happens. It is worth also pointing out that Ireland's favourite golfer is twice the golfer now. It really could be some battle...

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