IF PADRAIG HARRINGTON had hoped that an outing at the St. Jude Classic would sharpen his game ahead of next weekend’s trip to the US Open, he will be sorely disappointed after he struggled to make the cut in Memphis without a single shot to spare.

A bogey five on the closing par four saw the Dubliner finish his second round with a score of 72, leaving him in a tie for 70th place and fortunate to make the competition’s reduced field for Saturday and Sunday.

Sweden’s Robert Karlsson heads up the leaderboard on nine-under par after 36 holes, with Americans Colt Knost and Keegan Bradley leading the chasing pack three shots adrift.

Ranked 23rd in the world, this week’s engagement at TPC Southwind is laced with bitter memories for Karlsson who lost a four-hole playoff to Lee Westwood on the same course a year ago.

Yesterday’s round of 65 had put him in position for his first PGA victory. Afterwards, he told reporters that it’s a bonus that he did well here last year, “but this year is a new year, and even now most likely going to be in the lead after two days makes no difference.”

We’ve come halfway, and who knows. I might finish 55th. You never know. You’ve got to keep going, especially on punishing golf courses like this.

– Additional reporting by AP