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Harrington tips
Euro star to win
Padraig Harrington
believes Europe's success at Oakland Hills four years ago could help
one of the Ryder Cup team win this week's USPGA Championship.
Eight of the side which thrashed the United States in 2004 will be
returning to play in the season's final major.
"It's an advantage to anybody who's played a tournament of that
intensity," said Ireland's two-time Open champion.
He has been drawn alongside Angel Cabrera and Trevor Immelman, with
his first round at 1815 BST tomorrow.
Harrington, Paul Casey, Darren Clarke, Sergio Garcia, Miguel Angel
Jimenez, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood have all
returned to Oakland Hills.
And their chances of success have also been helped by the absence of
world number one and defending champion Tiger Woods through injury.
Westwood will go into the PGA on a high following his runner-up
finish behind Vijay Singh at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on
Sunday.
The Englishman remembers playing a really tough course and is
expecting more of the same, particularly as some extra yardage has
been added since 2004.
"I think it's now 300 yards longer," Westwood said. "They're not
forced to play it right from the tips, but they probably will do.
"I think they'll probably set it up equally as tough. It was pretty
hard when we played it. I remember if you missed fairways it was
difficult to hit greens.
"I remember the greens being very undulating and having to almost
slow them down, and the ball was rolling around on the ninth green
and the 18th green."
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