Harrington: Not a big deal
Padraig Harrington admits he can't afford any more mistakes as he bids to win a third successive major title at Augusta this week.
The current Open and USPGA champion lies seven shots off the halfway lead in the Masters following rounds of 69 and 73, suffering the disappointment of a penalty stroke at the 15th on Friday when his ball moved on the green.
The Irishman recovered to sink the par putt but dropped a shot at the 17th to slip back to two under par for the tournament and leave himself plenty to do over the weekend.
But Harrington knows how to win from behind after coming from six off the pace in the USPGA last August to win by two shots.
"Here at Augusta it is not a big deal to be seven behind," he said. "The trouble with today's round is that it doesn't give me much of a leeway.
Not out of it
"It is well within me. Going out there the next two days anyone can shoot a couple of (low) scores.
"It has been done - there have been a couple of 65s (Campbell on Thursday, Anthony Kim Friday) and I certainly think I can play the golf.
"I am not out of it, but I won't be able to absorb any more bad luck. If things don't go right for me I won't be winning."
Reflecting on his tribulations on the 15th, Harrington knew he would be penalised after he addressed the ball before a gust of wind blew it further from the hole.
"It started to blow, so I stood off it, but a gust came and blew it three feet further away," he added.
"It's strange. It happened to me before when the referee ruled it was not a penalty, but I grew up thinking it was, so it wasn't hard to take and I was pleased that I collected my thoughts and knocked the putt in."
