TWO-TIME British Open champion Pádraig Harrington is hoping his Royal Birkdale victory will not leave him as flat for this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational as his win at Carnoustie did 12 months ago.
That dramatic 2007 win in a play-off with Sergio Garcia gave the Dubliner his first major victory and led to big-scale celebrations that he admitted left him flat for most of the rest of his season. "Winning it for a second time is different," Harrington said. "There was a severe high from winning at Carnoustie - messing up down 18, getting a second chance, taking that second chance and winning a first major and the adrenaline rush and everything I did with it.
"You're only going to win your first major once and I made sure to enjoy it. There was a lot that happened afterwards and I was very flat after I won it.
"The Bridgestone, the PGA Championship, FedEx Cup, I really struggled. My game came back towards the end of the year and I had a couple of illnesses so it definitely took a lot out of me."
This time around, and heading into two big tournaments with the Bridgestone and then the US PGA Championship, Harrington still took a week off following his four-shot victory over Ian Poulter to celebrate his retention of the Claret Jug but insisted he had been dealing with his repeat success with more discipline than he did his initial win.
"This time round it was a more satisfying win, the way it happened was more confidence boosting and I was definitely walking away with a lot of satisfaction," he said. "I did celebrate, had a couple of parties but I didn't do much of the extra stuff. I didn't do the civic reception, didn't do much media, one press conference . . . So I'm in better shape, still a little bit flat and all the markers were down a little bit last week but gradually, hopefully, coming back this week, and hopefully I should be in better shape come the PGA next week."
Meanwhile, one of America's emerging stars may have dealt his hopes of a Ryder Cup debut in September a huge blow by claiming players are "just a slave that week" and raising the possibility of a boycott of the event in future.
Hunter Mahan lies 12th on the US points table with just two weeks left in their qualifying race. The top eight earn automatic spots on Paul Azinger's team, although with Tiger Woods ruled out by injury the player in ninth will be assured of a place. Should Mahan be left needing one of Azinger's four wild cards, however, his comments can hardly have helped his case. Only two weeks ago at Royal Birkdale, Azinger said: "All I want is players who want to be there and ready when they start."
In the latest edition of the American magazine Golf, Mahan reopens the debate over whether players should be paid to appear in the match, an issue which caused controversy in the US camp in 1999. He said: "From what I've heard the whole week is extremely long. You've got dinners every night - not little dinners, but huge, massive dinners. I know, as players, that's the last thing we want to do. We want to prepare ourselves. That's part of the whole thing: you're just a slave that week.
"At some point the players might say, 'You know what - we're not doing this anymore, because this is ridiculous'. Don't be surprised if it (a refusal to play) happens. It's just not a fun week like it should be."
Firestone GC - The lowdown
Prize money:€5 million. €925,258 to the winner.
The Course:Firestone Country Club (South). Akron, Ohio.
Length:7,400 yards. Par: 70
The layout:Opened in 1950 the South course has hosted all except two of the World Series of Golf tournaments (subsequently NEC Invitational) since the first in 1976. The signature hole is the 677-yard 16th where a long-ironed second shot must avoid the creek and stay short of the pond which protects the small green. A very long par 70 with six of the 10 par fours over 450 yards. Greens are on the small side and are Bentgrass.
Last year's winner:Tiger Woods. Starting the final round one behind Rory Sabbatini, Woods won by eight shots for a three-in-a-row.
On TV:Live on Sky Sports 1 (7pm)
Weather:Chance of some thunderstorms on the first morning, clearing to a mixture of sunshine and cloud for the rest of the weekend.
Time difference:Five hours behind Ireland.
