Love shows Harrington how to fulfil potential

It was hardly just another second-place finish for Padraig Harrington at the US Players Championship on Sunday. For one thing there was the example of the winner, Davis Love.

Harrington may now have finished as a runner-up 18 times but Love has also proved a nearly man over the years. A USPGA Championship and now two Players titles may not entirely do such a talented golfer justice. At the age of 38, Love decided enough was enough.

"I didn't want another near miss," he said. "I was chasing my own potential." Tiger Woods, wayward off the tee too often at Sawgrass, was not in contention on Sunday but Love may not have noticed if he had been. A final round of 64 equalled the lowest ever to win the tournament, with Harrington and Jay Haas six strokes back.

"I am as thrilled as I could be," Love added. "It was an incredible round of golf. I have never done a better job of doing the things I do well for all 18 holes. It is the most boring thing in the world to say you have to take one shot at a time but it's what Tiger does and it's what Jack Nicklaus did.

"I did that better than anyone else this week but it takes a commitment to excellence. I was determined this year to be disciplined. You need a commitment to do the same things over and over again. I was ready to play this week."

Harrington believes in exactly the same approach and his best finish in America to date only continues a progression that has been heading in the right direction.

"I am no way bitter about finishing second to Davis," Harrington said. "Sometimes you do phenomenal things to be second, and often I've done silly things to be second. Finishing second is not what I will remember about this week.

"What I'm pleased with is leading after the first round, the second round and the third round. Next time I'm in this position it will be easier to take the next step. What impressed me about Davis was not that he shot eight under but that he got into the lead and then did not stall. He kept making birdies and that shows that he is a world-class player."

Harrington will continue his warm-up for the Masters at the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta this week. "I don't think I've got much to work on," he said. "I won't spend much time on the range. I'll work on my short game and the mental game and get my head in shape for the Masters. I've only played five tournaments so far this season but I feel all aspects of my game are ahead of this time last year."

Colin Montgomerie, whose form and confidence could not be further removed that of Harrington's, decided to pull out of the BellSouth, which opened up a place for Paul Lawrie. Justin Rose never planned to play in Atlanta. Instead, he will play a couple of practice rounds with a local boy, Charles Howell, and Australia's Adam Scott before returning to Orlando to prepare quietly for his first Masters.

Plonking a ball in the water at the 17th in the final round on Sunday left the 22-year-old Rose annoyed with finishing at level par on his Players debut. "I struggled a bit when I wasn't on the leaderboard," Rose said after a closing 76. He made the cut in all three of the Florida swing events but could not make an impression over the weekend. "I'll learn from these tournaments and hopefully at Augusta I'll be able to concentrate for all four rounds and get the job done."