Padraig Harrington went off for some hasty treatment for a sore hip today, after recording a first round score good enough to grab a share of the lead at the Players Championship in Florida.
Harrington charges at TPC despite hip injuryPadraig Harrington went off for some hasty treatment for a sore hip today, after recording a first round score good enough to grab a share of the lead at the Players Championship in Florida.
The Ryder Cup Dubliner had just a 40-minute turnaround between his first and second rounds, having been among the players brought in off the Sawgrass course last night because of an approaching storm.
Harrington resumed with a six foot birdie putt on the long 11th and, after making that, added further birdies at the 13th, 14th and 15th to join former winner Fred Couples out in front on five under.
Pars at the last three holes followed, but there was a lucky escape at the 447-yard last when his approach curled on the wind and finished in the rough just a foot from the lake.
A chip to two feet kept the smile on his face, and he said: "I'm going to see a chiropractor before I tee off again. It came on last week and felt tight this morning.
"But I'm very happy with that. I had a nice run when I came back and I was very surprised at the last because it was probably the best shot I hit on the back nine. The wind moved it quite a bit."
Colin Montgomerie, fuming that he had not finished his first round last night, returned to the ninth green at 7.30 a.m. for a 22-foot birdie putt that he missed.
The tap-in par meant a one over 73, but when he set off again Montgomerie birdied the second, fourth and sixth to go joint 16th at two under.
He had moaned about taking 33 putts in his first round, but a 22-footer on the sixth raised his spirits after he had chipped close on the second and pitched to three feet two holes later.
Justin Rose completed a first round 72 - it put him level with favourite Tiger Woods - but Nick Faldo and Luke Donald managed only two over 74s and then Faldo started his second round with a bogey.
Couples, who beat Montgomerie to the title in 1996, quickly moved to seven under in his second round, but he was only sharing the lead as defending champion Craig Perks, who had done little before his win and even less since, was inspired again.
After an opening 68 the New Zealander began his second round birdie-eagle.