Despite sore wrist, Harrington holding up well

[July 17, 2008]  SOUTHPORT, England (AP) -- Despite a sore wrist, defending British Open champion Padraig Harrington got off to a promising start in the whipping wind and soaking rain at Royal Birkdale.

The Irishman, who wasn't even sure he'd be able to tee off, was 2 over after 12 holes -- good enough to claim a spot on the leaderboard in brutal conditions.

More than six hours after Craig Parry hit the opening shot of the tournament, only one player was under par: Japanese Tour regular Shintaro Kai, who birdied No. 1. But he still had 15 holes to go on a horrendous day.

Retief Goosen, K.J. Choi and American Heath Slocum were among the players at even par. Slocum didn't even know he would be playing, having traveled across the Atlantic as an alternate. He was rewarded at the last minute when Japan's Toru Taniguchi of Japan dropped out with a back injury.

Slocum hastily joined a group that included 1995 Open champion John Daly, and moved up the leaderboard with a birdie at No. 4.

Five-time Open champion Tom Watson birdied the first hole to send a roar through the shivering gallery. But it was a miserable, short-lived tournament for another former winner. Sandy Lyle, who won the Open at Royal St. George's in 1985, pulled out after playing the first 10 holes in an 11-over 49.

"I felt I could do myself more harm than good," said the 50-year-old Lyle, who plays his first Senior Open tournament at Troon next week. "It could take three weeks for recover from this."

Though inclement weather is as much a part of the Open as the claret jug, Lyle said he'd never played an early morning round in such miserable conditions.

"It was just constant rain all the time," he said. "It was difficult keeping my hands dry and, of course, I wear glasses, so that didn't help. It's a brutal golf course."

Harrington injured his right wrist last weekend and was limited to a half-round of practice during the week. He decided to give it a try, though he estimated Wednesday there was only a 50 percent chance he would actually make it through 18 holes.

The gallery groaned when he knocked his first shot into the rough, putting extra strain on the wrist with his next swing. But he appeared to be coping well with the pain.

Most players were struggling. Phil Mickelson, who never fares very well on this side of the Atlantic, lost his ball in the tangly rough at No. 6, had to take a penalty and wound up with a triple bogey, leaving him 6 over. England's Simon Dyson shot a 12-over 82, which included a nine at the par-4 10th. English favorite Justin Rose, who memorably finished fourth as a 17-year-old amateur in the last Open played at Royal Birkdale in 1998, limped through the front nine at 4 over.

Parry, looking like a penguin dressed head-to-toe in a cream-and-black rain suit and ski cap, hit the opening shot down the middle of the fairway and between the pot bunkers. But he struggled home with a 77.

"It was very long and cold and windy," the Australian said. "It's really miserable out there. The ball is going nowhere."

Parry played in a group with Dyson and Lucas Glover of the U.S., who shot 78. It was no accident they were in the first group -- all three are considered among the fastest players.

Glover quickly got an idea of what kind of day it would be. He started out with two straight bogeys, came back with two birdies, then had two more bogeys, managing only one par in the first seven holes.

At least no one had to worry about Tiger Woods, who captured his 14th career major with a playoff win at the U.S. Open, then shut it down for the rest of the year to have knee surgery. The world's best player was sitting out his first major since 1996.

[Associated Press; By PAUL NEWBERRY]

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