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Padraig Harrington changing his swing

Three-times major champion Padraig Harrington is changing the swing that earned him victories in the British Open and U.S. PGA Championship last year.

“I don’t want to play like I played last year,” the Irishman told a news conference on the eve of his national open at the County Louth course on Wednesday. “I want to play better.”

Harrington’s comment startled reporters but the 37-year-old world number eight added: “That’s my nature. I’ve been trying to improve every year since I first started playing at even nine or 10 years of age.

“The reason I improve is I actually stop and start re-building every year and change things,” said the Irish Open’s highest ranked player.

“I think guys who stay constant are on a slippery slope to retirement. It’s all about pushing yourself to get better.

“I’ve done this every year. The difference is now I’m in the spotlight.

“You win some majors and there’s another level of expectation.”

Harrington, having slipped four places on the world rankings this season with a string of indifferent results including only tied for 35th at the U.S. Masters, said current changes had yet to reap results.

“I’m focusing on my weaknesses and they are getting stronger but my strengths are definitely weak at the moment,” he explained.

“The strengths are what won me three majors, so you have to go back over them and make sure they are equally as sharp as when you are on top of your game.

“Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be making sure that my mental game and putting is as sharp as it has been. I’ve not spent the time on them because I’ve been spending it on something else, not balanced preparation. It’s a constant juggling act.”

While Harrington will try get it right for this week’s event, which he won two years ago before going on to claim victory in the British Open at Carnoustie, he will skip next week’s European Tour flagship event, the PGA Championship.

His past poor results have persuaded him to stay away. “Changing my schedule to play an event that if I play well I might finish 50th, is not ideal,” said Harrington.

May 14, 2009