INJURED Padraig Harrington has admitted that if it was any event other than his Open title defence he would have already quit and gone home.

The Dubliner is struggling with a strained right wrist and played only nine holes of practice at Royal Birkdale yesterday before being advised to rest it further.

During those nine holes he did not attempt one shot out of the rough – and that is the major concern at this stage.

Not whether he will play, but what damage he might do.

“I know I will not get through 72 holes this week without going in the rough and the biggest worry is if I do something that will flare it up and give me a problem. That will certainly be an issue.”

Having said that, Harrington was happy with how the nine holes went, even though his sports chiropractor Dale Richardson then inspected the wrist and told him to take the rest of the day off.

“If it wasn't the Open I would have pulled out. I would have come for treatment and then decided I could not risk it,” said Harrington.

“But because it's Open week I will definitely make the effort.”

'Playing those nine holes has weakened it'

One of the sport's best-known phrases is “beware the injured golfer”. Tiger Woods proved the point only last month when he effectively won the US Open on one leg.

But playing at Torrey Pines has put the world No 1 out for the rest of the year. And Luke Donald's wrist injury suffered that week has stopped him playing since and has made him a serious doubt for September's Ryder Cup.

Harrington's injury came on Saturday evening.

After driving home from a successful defence of the Irish PGA title the 36-year-old, one of golf's hardest workers, hit shots for two hours outside.

As it became dark he then went inside to an exercise and practice room he has installed in his house and swung with his driver into what is called an “impact ball” – a modern version of the rubber tyre former Open champion Henry Cotton used as a swing aid decades ago.

“I've done it for years and never had a problem before,” said Harrington. “But I felt something and on Sunday I couldn't lift a club even to chip.

“It was a serious concern then because I couldn't go and test it. I couldn't see if it was better or worse.

“I got hold of Dale at Loch Lomond, met up with him here and it has responded well to treatment. But playing those nine holes has weakened it, as expected.”

Harrington decided just to walk the inward half – he played Birkdale in the 1998 Open, so it is not as if he was unfamiliar with the lay-out – and hopes to be able to play those holes and possibly all 18 today.

“I'm taking anti-inflammatories as it is and I will probably protect the wrist in the tournament. But I didn't today because I wanted to see how it was,” he said.

“I'm happier than I was this morning. It's inflamed, but I was pain free for those nine holes.

“When I went to the range I had no idea what was ahead and that was more nerve-wracking.

“On the course I was fearful and very worried at first, but it was fine – although I had a fuzzy, tingly feeling and I felt it pushing a tee in the ground a couple of times.”

Although he kicked the ball out of the rough on to the fairway to hit approaches to the green, Harrington drew comfort from the fact he did not see any “rough rough” like at the US Open.

His intention is to hit at least one shot from it today as a test.

THE day began with Harrington returning the claret jug to the safe-keeping of the Royal and Ancient Club. He did so with a suggestion. “I pointed out that it could do with a smaller box so you could travel with it better on planes, because the current one is too big,” he said. “Hopefully when I get it back on Sunday night it'll be in a little tighter box so I can bring it with me everywhere.”

He has not given up hope of that – but the odds have lengthened.

■ Europe's Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo has warned his players they cannot afford to ease up even if they think they are already assured of a place in his team.

Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Robert Karlsson all look set to feature against America at Valhalla in Kentucky in September.

That would leave seven spots remaining – two of which are captain's picks. But with two majors and one World Golf Championship event still to play before the cut-off date of August 31, the standings could change significantly.

Faldo said: “We all know in golf as soon as you start counting your chickens you get a swift kick up the backside, so there will be no complacency.

“My picks may not be decided until right up to the close of play as guys who are winning are a very important part of the Ryder Cup.”