Padraig Harrington confident ahead of USPGA Championship defence

Padraig Harrington is in confident mood ahead of his US PGA Championship defence at Hazeltine Golf Club, despite losing out to Tiger Woods at the WGC - Bridgestone Invitational.

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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