AS precision implements go, golf clubs can induce more frustration than most. Padraig Harrington experienced the feeling here at Chateau Elan yesterday, when he came within 18 inches of landing $1 million jackpot in a lucrative build-up to the Sarazen World Open.
It happened at the 176-yard ninth, which was one of three selected holes carrying a prize of $1 million for an ace. Harrington seemed to do everything right, even to the point of using the same seven iron which had delivered his first professional hole in one at Valderrama's short third last Thursday.
On that occasion, with nothing but the player's score at stake the club ensured that the shot never left the target. But yesterday, with $1 million beckoning, it was only precise enough to leave the ball a tantalising, 18 inches right of the hole.
"It was close enough to give my pulse-rate a bit of a jump," said the Dubliner with a grin. In fact Harrington had the distinction of hitting the first shot in the tournament in which he was joined by Irish colleagues Philip Walton Paul McGinley and Raymond Burns.
Afterwards, he was whisked away to the Dunlop golf ball manufacturing plant at Westminister South Carolina, to learn about the equipment he is paid to use on the tournament circuit. At this, the company's biggest facility outside of Japan, Harrington was subjected to a number of tests designed to establish whether he is using the correct shafts and whether the type of ball he favours suits the launch angle of his swing.
Two golf holes are part of a brand-new research and development facility which reflects the scope of golf as a huge, international business. As it happens, the two fairways are half-and-half Bermuda and bent grass, with sensors located below the turf to measure the response of golf balls to the contrasting surfaces.
Harrington said: "I found the whole thing exceptionally interesting." He is committed to the King Hassan Trophy in Morocco next week. After that, some of the results of yesterday's tests will be applied during a week's coaching with Howard Bennett. Then he and Darren Clarke are off to South Africa for the World Cup.
McGinley also has a busy schedule. After a break in Los Angeles next week, he heads for Australia where he will compete in the PGA Championship before joining such as Tiger Woods in the Australian Open on November 21st to 24th. "I don't feel tired," he insisted. "In fact I'm still raring to go."
having secured places in both the US Open and the British Open for next year, the Austrian Open champion realises that he must enhance his world ranking if he is to be taken seriously as a world-class player. "I'm 90th at the moment and my target is to get into the top-50," he said.
Meanwhile, he is in the first three-ball off the tee tomorrow in the $1.9 million Sarazen World Open in the company of the 1994 Mexican Open champion, Chris Perry and England's Barry Lane. Burns plays with Craig Stadler at 8.20 a.m. local time and in the next three-ball, Walton is joined by Fred Couples and England's Paul Curry.
Three years ago, this tournament seemed no more than a good way of honouring one of the game's legendary figures. But through the determination of Don Panoz, whose Elan Corporation is based in Athlone, the end-of-season event is now firmly established on the professional calendar.
One of the leading American challengers, Ben Crenshaw, commented: "Just to be able to meet Gene Sarazen is an honour, when you think of his place in golfing history. To play in this tournament is really special and I know a lot of the guys feel the same way."
Explaining his own presence in the field, Davis Love said: "He (Sarazen) invited me as one of his selections. That's why I'm playing. I've been very lucky to get to know both Byron Nelson and Gene Sarazen, men who are such a part of the history of the game." In that context, the ultimate accolade is the appearance of Jack Nicklaus, who is expected to arrive this morning.
