 Harrington won at Gut Kaden in 2003 |
Ireland's Padraig Harrington returns to action this week admitting he is struggling for motivation after the death of his father Paddy from cancer. The 33-year-old, who withdrew from last week's Open, has decided to enter the Deutsche Bank Players' Championship.
"I said the week before my dad passed away I'd be happy to pack the clubs away and leave them for a year.
"I'm not bad when I'm on the course but it's hard to get motivated to get on the course when I'm off it," he said.
Harrington has flown to Hamburg early in order to prepare himself for the tournament, which starts on Thursday.
"It doesn't feel good at the moment, but hopefully by Thursday it will be OK," he said.
Harrington finished second behind Trevor Immelman in Heidelberg last year, and he beat Thomas Bjorn in a play-off the last time the �2.28m event was played at Gut Kaden.
"It was a very important win at the time," he said.
"They were lining up more headlines for another second place at that stage. I think it was going to be 22 second places, so it was good to get a win."
Harrington is part of a star-studded field which includes US Open champion Michael Campbell and former major winners Jose Maria Olazabal, Retief Goosen and John Daly.
The big-hitting Daly - the second longest driver in the Open behind champion Tiger Woods - says he will never follow the sort of fitness regime championed by 10-time major winner Woods.
"Jack Nicklaus never did and look how many he won," said Daly, whose rotund figure is not the sort of shape commonly associated with top-level sportsman.
"I'm not a work-out guy. Every time I used to do it I threw up after I got done.
"This ain't a beauty contest out here you know. I have no idea what I weigh.
"I know my pants still fit so that's the only thing I gauge it on."
MMIX
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This ain't a beauty contest out here you know