Padraig Harrington has made it through to the second round of the Accenture world match play championship after defeating American John Cook. The eighth seed was in control against Cook from the moment he hit a 181-yard seven-iron to within two inches of the hole at the 450-yard first and went on to win four and three.
Harrington considered not making the long trip because of his miserable record in the £3.5million tournament, but had a spring in his step as he walked to the second tee. "Not bad, was it?" he said. He then birdied that from nine feet, the long third from nearly 40 and by the turn was four up.
Cook, conqueror of second seed Phil Mickelson at the same stage last year, did birdie the 10th, but then ran up a bogey six on the next and could not stage a fightback. "I'm pleased with that," said Harrington. "It's a long way to come and you don't want to be one of the 32 going home straightaway. It feels like a wasted journey. I was more relaxed about it this time, though, and after my start I just played very solid golf."
Meanwhile Darren Clarke saw off South Africa's Tim Clark four and three to set up a second round match with Davis Love III. Clarke commented: "It's nice to come back to a place where you have done well and my expectations are growing all the time.
"I had a bit of a scrappy start - we both did - and was two down after five, but getting up and down at the ninth to turn one up gave me confidence and I pulled away on the back nine."
Harrington will tee off in his second round contest against Scott Hoch at 5.20pm Thursday evening while Clarke faces David Love at 6.00pm.
Filed by Johnny Proby
