Padraig Harrington confident ahead of USPGA Championship defence

Padraig Harrington & Tiger Woods

Padraig Harrington is in confident mood ahead of his USPGA Championship defence following Sunday’s epic battle with Tiger Woods at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational.

Although the Irishman’s bid for a first win since his 2008 triumph at Oakland Hills came to an abrupt end on Firestone’s par-5 16th, it was evident that the effects of his swing changes were starting to pay dividends.

“I have definitely found what I’m looking for and, in that process, I’ve probably learned a lot more about my game that I ever could have wished to have learned,” he said. “It has been very, very constructive for me over the past eight months and I am very positive about going forward.

“I played at Hazeltine the last time the PGA was there in 2002 (he finished T17) but I haven’t been recently. It is a good golf course though and they have lengthened it a bit from the last time so they’ll be asking for a lot of solid play over the week.

“I don’t think it is in any way, shape or form, a tricky golf course. It is a golf course to hit it well off the tee and it’s going to be a big hitter’s course,” added the Irishman.

An interesting twist sees Harrington paired with Woods as the season’s final Major gets underway on Thursday.

Where next?

- Enter Golf Monthly competitions - USPGA Championship news - USPGA history and records - Golf blog from Hazeltine - USPGA pictures from Hazeltine

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