Harrington rejects belly putter option
Padraig Harrington will not be joining the belly putter brigade. Photo by Carl Fourie www.golffile.iePadraig Harrington has rejected the belly putter as the solution to his current putting crisis.
The Dubliner is dead set against the long putter and believes it will be banned sooner rather than later..
Harrington insisted: “I’ve tried other people’s but never had one fitted. I am against them. I don’t like the idea of attaching something to myself. I just doesn’t sit well with me.
“I think it is only a matter of time before they are banned.”
The world No 96 spent several hours on the range on Tuesday working on his game, including his putting.
He put the Odyssey Two-ball putter back in his bag in Houston last week and then spent some time working on the practice putting green with Mark Sweeney, founder of the green-reading technology company AimPoint.
G-Mac’s reward for sick pal
Graeme McDowell has helped a sick pal’s dream come true this week.
Long-time friend and personal chef Hughie Kimball was set to make a fairytale trip to Augusta last year but ended up in a coma after contracting a rare disease.
McDowell said: “He came with me to the Grand Slam in Bermuda in 2010 and two weeks later he drove himself to A&E and ended up in a coma.
“He acquired a disease called Wegener’s disease. They don’t know why it happens or where it comes from. He was on his death bed for a year.
“His wish was to come to the Masters with me last year but he wasn’t physically ready for it. This time last year he was in a hospital bed and not doing very well at all. He was in hospital for nearly a year.
“He had little warning signs but ignored them like most of us do.
“This year he’s with me at the house and cooking up some great food. It’s great to have him here.”
It’s not just Rory v Tiger says G-Mac
Graeme McDowell dismisses the theory that the Masters is a two-horse race between Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
G-Mac said: “I don’t think it is. Yes, their games are tailor-made for this golf course. Of course, Tiger knows his way around here but there are too many good players playing well.
“It is not a head to head between Rory and Tiger. You have Lee Westwood playing well, Luke Donald playing great, Hunter Mahan playing great.
“There are so many top players playing well it is a wide open playing field. There are probably 20 guys who can win here this week.”
Harrington looks to Luke
Padraig Harrington reckons world No 1 Luke Donald could be the man to beat in a wide open Masters.
The pair share practice guru Dave Alred and Harrington believes the English ace is ready to deliver a major performance.
Harri said: “Luke Donald has been exceptionally good for a long time and delivered on a number of occasions when he has had to.
“There are a lot of players in with a great chance but I’m not writing myself off.
“I know if I can get in position with nine holes to go, I have a great chance too.”
