McIlroy and Harrington differ in approach

GOLF:WHICH IS the most prudent way? To undertake a stealth-like reconnaissance to Royal St George's ahead of next week's British Open, as Rory McIlroy has planned this week; or to fine tune under the heat of competition at the Barclays Scottish Open, on a new links course, as Pádraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell have chosen to do? To each their own way, perhaps.

But Colin Montgomerie – who, it should be noted, has never actually managed to win a major (so far!) in his career – has questioned McIlroy’s advance game plan in deciding to miss out on this week’s Scottish Open at Castle Stuart. “I would like to have seen him play a competitive tournament between two majors,” said Monty, of the US Open champion’s decision not to play competitively since his win at Congressional before teeing up at Sandwich next week.

Montgomerie is concerned that McIlroy will have to deal with too much congratulatory back-patting once he lands at the British Open.

As the Scot put it, “he’s so natural I don’t think there are any fears about his game. But it’s the locker-room, there are going to be so many people wanting to congratulate him . . . whether it was the French or the Scottish Open, he could have got that out of his system and out of the way so he can start the Open afresh. Now he’s got that ahead of him and, on the first tee, he will definitely be mentally tired.”

He added: “I hope he does well, of course I do, and I think he will contend.”

McIlroy has planned a two-day visit to Sandwich this week to get to know the links. It has become a traditional part of his build-up to the majors.

In contrast, Harrington’s two British Open wins – at Carnoustie in 2007 and his successful defence at Royal Birkdale in 2008 – came after he prepared the previous week by playing in the Irish PGA championship, on each occasion at The European Club in Co Wicklow. Now, Harrington has taken advantage of the Scottish Open’s move from the parkland Loch Lomond to the new seaside links at Castle Stuart to prepare for the season’s third major with a competitive outing.

Harrington is part of a strong Irish contingent competing in the Scottish Open, where he is joined by Graeme McDowell, Shane Lowry, Michael Hoey, Darren Clarke, Peter Lawrie, Gareth Maybin, Damien McGrane and Paul McGinley. Of that contingent, only Harrington, McDowell and Clarke are already qualified for the British Open. For any of the others to make it, they would need to finish in the top five this week.

Although he hasn’t won on tour since the Johor Open last November, Harrington – down to 57th in the latest world rankings – is insistent that his game is in good shape as he heads into one of the busiest periods of the season.

As he put it, “All the way through my game, I’m happy with an awful lot of things I see . . . (but) there’s just something, I wouldn’t use the word spark, not putting all my game together. As always, it’s not for a lack of effort, it’s not for a lack of enthusiasm and it’s not for a lack of diligence.

“I suppose it’s like, when you’re playing blackjack or cards or anything, I’m losing correctly at the moment. So I’m doing the right things. I’m going through the right processes. But, yes, there’s one little spark that is not quite there and I am waiting for it to fall into place . . . I’m trying to figure a way to put it into place, is more what I’m trying to do,” said Harrington, who – like McDowell – will be playing five of the next six weeks taking in the Scottish Open, British Open, followed by a week’s break, and then the Irish Open, the Bridgestone Invitational and the US PGA.

He added: “(Out on the course) you wouldn’t see any difference now between now and the way I played two years ago, except for maybe the fact that I holed a putt or two more a couple years ago, and that breeds a bit more confidence into the rest of your game.

“And all of a sudden, you turn in which I tend to be shooting a lot at the moment, shooting a lot of 70s around there and you turn them into 68s and you’re winning tournaments.”

This week’s tournament in Castle Stuart – where world number one and two Luke Donald and Lee Westwood again head into an event with the top spot at stake – also marks a significant landmark for Paul McGinley, who will be making his 500th appearance on the European Tour. He becomes just the 20th player to reach that particular milestone.