Grim facts of poor putting

It's not uncommon for Padraig Harrington to devour statistics with the mathematical mind of an accountant, which was his training before a career path in professional golf materialised. In that case, the putting statistics from the Masters will make for grim digestion.

Although his play on Sunday of the two par fives on the back nine - the 13th and 15th, statistically the two easiest holes on the course in the final round - when he was a cumulative six-over for those two holes were effectively the black-and-white reasons for failing to contend on the final day, the more worrying explanation for his eventually finishing position of tied-27th was his poor putting.

Harrington - who was ranked number two in driving accuracy and ninth in driving distance, confirmation that his long game is in extremely good shape - struggled on the greens and was ranked tied-36th of the 47 players who survived into the final two rounds in putting.

The Dubliner has dropped to 30th in the latest world rankings and has a week off before returning to the US Tour for back-to-back tournaments in Houston and New Orleans, before concentrating on the European Tour with a stint that takes in the British Masters, the Nissan Irish Open and the BMW Championship in Wentworth.

Putting also proved to be Darren Clarke's weakness at Augusta, where he finished tied-22nd after a final round 77 for 291.

Clarke was also ranked 36th in putting, taking 120 putts over the four rounds.

Clarke is one of three Irish players in the field at this week's Verizon Heritage Classic at Hilton Head, where he will be joined by Paul McGinley and Graeme McDowell.

Elsewhere, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane and David Higgins are competing in the Volvo China Open, but David Howell - who tops the European Tour money list - has decided to withdraw from the tournament on the advice of his physiotherapist after incurring a hip injury at Augusta.