I couldn’t ask for a better European Bureau than Karl MacGinty, Dermot Gilleece, and Brian Keogh. Just last week, Brian gave me great insight into both Harrington’s practice regimen and time constraints: he’s doing all his interviews early so he can have as normal a week as possible at the Masters. That’s one of the reasons I picked Padraig in my Masters preview over at Cybergolf.
Well now Karl MacGinty has a superb, smashing interview and write-up with the man who can go to Bethpage with a Grand Slam on his mind should he finally get the bounces at Augusta. Paddy has some excellent observations on the course architecture and strategies as well. From the article:
“Harrington fears no man on the golf course. His head-to-head record with Tiger, for example, is statistically better than any of golf’s other elite players, including a sudden-death victory over Woods at the 2006 Dunlop Phoenix.
After his feats at Carnoustie, Birkdale and Oakland Hills, is Harrington scared or intimidated by anyone down the stretch at a Major? “Yes, me. I’m very afraid of myself and that’s who I have to look after.“”
Two things: first, we in America tend to overlook the Eupropean Tour players too often. Even with back-to-back majors, all eyes are firmly fixed on Tiger. Second, nobody is better at covering the European Tour players than the European Tour writers, and MacGinty, Keogh, and Gilleece. Bookmark them. You’re going to need them all next week.
