Padraig Harrington faces a tough challenge to overhaul Retief Goosen at the top of the European Order of Merit after a second round 76 at the Volvo Masters at Valderrama in Spain today. The Dubliner finished with an eight over par total of 150, his worst round of the season. This leaves Goosen odds-on favourite to retain his money-list title even though the South African is only three ahead of him after a 74.
Harrington needs to finish in the top 27 even if Goosen finishes in last place. With no cut in Spain, Harrington has two more rounds to repair the damage. "Golf can change overnight, but I've got no confidence on the greens at the moment and I just didn't play well. I didn't do anything right and it was just one of those days," he said.
He came to grief again from the outset with a bogey at the first - the hole where he received a two-stroke penalty yesterday for illegally repairing a pitch mark that was off the green - and he had to wait until the long 17th for his first birdie. By then he had also bogeyed the fourth, seventh, ninth and 10th. Despite pitching to two feet to pick up a shot on 17, he hit a tree off the final tee and bogeyed that.
Goosen's only birdie was also at the 17th. He double-bogeyed the short 12th, going into sand and over the green and then missing a five-foot putt.
Argentina's Angel Cabrera will take a four-shot lead into the last two rounds, finishing today on seven under after a 72. Darren Clarke heads the Irish challenge on level par after a 69. Graeme McDowell is 11 over after an 81. Paul McGinley carded a 77 to drop to 11 over.
Filed by Greg McKevitt
