PADRAIG I’M ON A POWER TRIP
Veteran Harrington vows to keep up with Bryson and golf’s young guns
PADRAIG HARRINGTON reckons he has experimented more than Bryson DeChambeau as he aims to keep up with golf’s power pups.
The popular Irishman will be 50 next year and eligible for the Champions Tour.
However, Harrington refuses to toddle off into the sunset and is proving again he can still mix it with the younger generation at the AXA Scottish Championship.
Europe’s Ryder Cup skipper is just three off the lead at the halfway stage at St Andrews and determined to keep pace with the kids.
DeChambeau’s muscling- up approach on his way to winning the US Open has been the talk of the game but Harrington said: “I tried everything and more than Bryson.
“I’m very impressed with Bryson because it’s really hard to change.
“I know he had all that speed but being able to bring that to the course is quite impressive.
“Why people didn’t see this in 1996 when Tiger (Woods) had a huge length advantage, who knows?
“Then Rory (McIlroy) and DJ (Dustin Johnson) came along. They were more of a change because when you have one long guy, it doesn’t matter, he can’t win every week.
“If there’s 20 long guys on Tour, you have to pick one of them to win every week, it’s a matter of who of those plays well.
“I want to be competitive at the top and I’ve been obsessed with trying to keep up with these young guys.
“I really can at times. I see days where it’s good. My whole career I’ve been one level down from the longest hitters and I’m still there now.
“If it was a long-drive competition I’d go for it but not on the course.
“I won’t be around but in 10 or 15 years’ time, you’ll have 20 or 30 guys on Tour like Cameron Champ, close to 200mph ball speed, within themselves, not swinging it out of their boots, hitting it nicely.
“I’m glad I won’t be around to compete with them.”
Harrington’s 69 on the second day kept him on the heels of leaders Matt Wallace and Adrian Otaegui.
The Englishman hunted down the overnight pacesetter from Spain and, notably, he did it in front of Harrington with the rearranged 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on the horizon.
Wallace said: “It’s good that I’ve done that in front of him but I’m not sure it will make much difference to Padraig. He will want players to be in there on merit and then if it comes down to a pick then he’ll want someone that’s in form.
“I’m going to try and do it where I don’t need a pick this time, so this is a nice start.”
Scotland’s Marc Warren heads the home assault onn the title having posted sted a second-day 699 to be inside the Top 10 at the halfway way mark and just four our shots behind nd Wal l a c e and nd Otaegui.
The Glasgow ow ace said: “It was as nice to finish sh wi t h three birdies as it wasn’t my best t stuff out there. I was struggling g but I was s hanging in there.” ”