Padraig Harrington believes his glory days are coming closer. After his dramatic decision to move on from long-time coach Bob Torrance in favour of Pete Cowen, as well as a few sessions with sports psychologist Dave Alred, he's feeling like he's back in the game he told the Belfast Telegraph.

'When it comes to the changes I’ve made, a lot of the changes, Pete has encouraged me to do things to help my shoulder injuries; to work within those things and to work within some of the stuff that I do in the gym to shorten my golf swing. Little things like that

'It’s not that one man is right and one man is wrong. You need a different view on things. Bob would be a great believer that Mother Nature shortens your golf swing and that you shouldn’t go down that road. Pete was quite happy to tighten up my golf swing in that sense. It’s somewhere I’ve been thinking of going, and certainly with Bob, we’ve discussed it many times, and ultimately, maybe that’s where I wanted to go. I needed to step away. I’m not somebody who does anything behind somebody’s back. It’s been difficult. Bob is like a father figure to me. I love his company. It’s awkward, and I miss his company in that sense.'

But the return of Harrington's consistent ball-striking has led to an increasing sense that his next victory is close, he says.

'A win would be very important for me. I believe it’s coming. It doesn’t have to happen next week or the week after. I believe it’s coming. I’m in good shape.'

Harrington turns 41 next month and hopes to crest on a competitive peak that he may not see again. Between Cowen’s swing enhancements and Alred’s focus techniques he may have gotten his mojo back.

'Every player, no matter what the preparation is, they must feel when they get there that they are ready,' says Harrington. 'You can’t get to Wednesday evening and start panicking that you need to do more. You have to have a calmness about you, the feeling that what I have is good enough.'