VERSAILLES, France, Sept 16 (Reuters) – Three-times majorchampion Padraig Harrington will test out his remodelled swingat next week’s Austrian Open as he seeks to improve his positionon the European money list and kick start his 2012 Ryder Cupqualification campaign.
The 2007 and 2008 British Open and 2008 U.S. PGAChampionship winner has been in the doldrums for more than twoyears since deciding to change his swing and has slipped to 78thin the world rankings.
With his string of poor results coming to a head at the JulyIrish Open when he missed the cut, Harrington, 40, broke withhis coach of 13 years, 79-year-old Bob Torrance, father offormer Ryder Cup captain Sam.
Since the split, Harrington’s form had hardly picked upuntil he finished 13th in the late August Barclays tournament inAmerica.
Encouraged by that performance, which kept him in the U.S.PGA Tour’s Fedex Cup for one week longer, Harrington intensifiedhis work with new coach Peter Cowen who works with, amongothers, world number two Lee Westwood.
Now the six times Ryder Cup player wants to see how he faresat the Diamond Country Club, Altzenbrugg, near Vienna next week- also with a view to enhancing his lowly 87th position on theRace to Dubai (European money-list).
“I have had some reasonable results in America recently so Iam looking to continue that trend and put in a good performancein Austria,” Harrington said in a European Tour release. “I havebeen working hard with my coach and I am ready to test out thenew swing under competitive conditions.”
“I know that I need to improve my position in the Race toDubai, but all it takes is a win or one strong finish and I willget into the top 60. I am also keen to make a start on my 2012Ryder Cup qualification campaign.”
Harrington will easily be the highest profile player on hisdebut in the Austrian Open, one of the tour’s smaller eventswhich awards the winner only a one-year playing exemption. (Editing by Alan Baldwin;for Reuters sports blog Left Field goto: blogs.reuters.com/sport)