Far From Sharp, Harrington Still Makes Cut

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich., Aug. 8 -- British Open champion Padraig Harrington posted a 74 and two-day total of 5-over 145, easily making the cut of 8-over-par 148 to play on the weekend and possibly contend for a second straight major championship. But unless he can get rid of what he described as his "hangover" from winning the Claret Jug three weeks ago at Royal Birkdale, he doesn't like his chances.

"I did my best to be ready for the week, but clearly I'm not," the Irishman said after a round that included seven bogeys and three birdies. "What can I say? The harder I tried, the worse it got. I haven't got the focus this week. I'm just not with it. Obviously I'm still just having a hangover after winning the Open.

"When you're just not mentally strong, it's hard to stop your mind from wandering away and that's what my mind was doing. I don't have the focus, and that's clearly the sign of mental fatigue."

Harrington was asked if he had called sports psychologist Bob Rotella on Thursday night to seek his advice. Harrington has credited Rotella, based at the University of Virginia, with helping him win his back-to-back British Open titles.

"No," he said. "I could give you all the teachings in the world about what you should do. I just can't do it. I'm just losing my focus and I can't keep my mind quiet. There was no calmness there at all. It's just one big struggle, it was. Couldn't get off the course quick enough."

Long Leaves Smiling

Dave Long, the director of golf at the Country Club of Woodmore in Mitchellville playing in his first PGA Championship, could hardly contain a beaming smile as he walked off his final hole, despite a double bogey that left him with a round of 82 and two-day total of 22-over 162.

"The whole experience has just been amazing for me," said Long, who qualified by finishing 10th in the PGA Professional National Championship. "The whole ride has been great. Everyone I ran into kept saying to me, 'Just enjoy it,' and that's what I tried to do. I don't do this for a living. I still have a job to go home to, I hope."

'Solid' Play Suits Estes

Fellow club professional Jim Estes, director of instruction at Olney Golf Park, came in with a 76 Friday despite a lost ball in a tree at the eighth hole that led to a triple bogey. He missed the cut at 15-over 155.

Estes also was playing in his first PGA Championship. "I had a great time," he said. "The golf course was phenomenally difficult. I hadn't played in a major in 10 years and I wasn't sure I'd finish. But I played pretty solid. On this course you don't have to hit a bad shot and you still can make bogey."

Estes teaches golf to disabled military men and women rehabilitating at Walter Reed. Two of his students, Ben Dellinger and David Cook, walked all 36 holes in Estes's gallery. Each man lost a leg in combat but loves to play the game.

"They said to me yesterday, 'What do you think we could shoot on this course?' " Estes said. "I said, 'Guys, you could take the average club pro from any course in America and they'd probably be able to shoot about 85.' "