Padraig Harrington out with shoulder injury

• Padraig Harrington withdraws after only three holes at Wentworth
• Confident about teeing it up at the Irish Open next week
• Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher pulled out first thing this morning

Padraig Harrington remains hopeful of competing in next week’s Irish Open, despite withdrawing from the BMW PGA Championship after three holes with a shoulder injury.

Yesterday, the three-time major winner raised concerns about what he called a ‘frozen shoulder’ after withdrawing from the Celebrity Pro-Am at Wentworth, but remained optimistic about playing a full part in the European Tour’s flagship event.

Harrington, who won the Honda Classic earlier this year, said yesterday: “If there’s a physical way of me teeing up tomorrow, I will tee it up. The chances of me being 100% tomorrow, very slim.  The chances of me playing, very high. That would be the way I would look at it.”

However, the 43-year-old only managed to play three holes and his withdrawal signalled his first through injury in a career which has spanned more than 20 years.

Attentions now turn to Monday’s US Open qualifier at Walton Heath GC and next week’s Irish Open for Harrington, who said yesterday that the injury would be unlikely to keep him out for any length of time.

“It would be absolutely no issue whatsoever for the Irish Open” – Padraig Harrington

He said: “It would be absolutely no issue whatsoever for the Irish Open. This would be an injury that would be gone in a week after a couple of physio sessions.

“This will not cause an issue even for the US Open qualifier on Monday. It will go away pretty quickly.”

Padraig Harrington is the second high-profile withdrawal from the BMW PGA Championship after Scot Stephen Gallacher pulled out first thing this morning with a wrist injury.

Padraig Harrington :: Irish Open?

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