Harrington, Westwood in the hunt

Oct 4, 2008 - 5:13 PM By Phil Casey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (Ticker) -- Only six players in the 168-strong field broke par on a miserable day at the Dunhill Links Championship on Saturday, but Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood still had reasons to be cheerful.

Returning to the Carnoustie course where he won the first of his back-to-back Open titles, Harrington played the front nine in 40 but came home in a superb 34 to end the day in a share of fourth place.

Westwood bounced back from an even worse front nine, the Ryder Cup star dropping six shots in his first six holes to be out in 41, before coming back in 35 to rescue his hopes of ending the year as European number one.

Germany's Martin Kaymer and Swede Jarmo Sandelin share the lead at 6-under-par, with Sweden's Magnus Carlsson a shot behind and Harrington among a four-strong group another stroke back. Westwood is four off the lead at 2-under.

Sweden's Robert Karlsson is sandwiched between Harrington and Westwood at 3-under after a 76.

Harrington described how tough the conditions had been, particularly into the wind and rain on the front nine.

"I hit a drive about 195 yards on one hole," said the 37-year-old. "I had three three-putts in the first six holes and it would definitely have been easier starting on the back nine, where there's two reachable par fours.

"You've got to hit sensible shots all the time. I got caught once or twice going for pins when it's about hitting it in the right place."

The cut changed from four over par to five over when Italy's Francesco Molinari, in the last group out, bogeyed the 18th at Carnoustie.

But that was still not enough to get Colin Montgomerie into the final round, the Scot finishing double-bogey, bogey at Carnoustie to miss out by two shots.

World number eight Ernie Els also missed out after a 76 left him 9-over. Of the 10 Ryder Cup players competing - only Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter were absent - only Henrik Stenson and Miguel Angel Jimenez missed the cut, Jimenez retiring hurt midway through his third round.