But after a rain delay of two hours 20 minutes this morning Harrington birdied three of the first five holes and at six under had climbed into a tie for sixth place with cup team-mate Thomas Levet.

They still had seven strokes to make up, however, as Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, confidence sky-high after his eight-under 64, birdied the first and third to stretch his advantage over the field from three to four.

Closest challengers on nine under were France’s Raphael Jacquelin, a week after his wedding, and Australian Nick O’Hern.

Five members of the European Ryder Cup side had made the cut and Paul Casey and Darren Clarke still had an outside chance of victory at five and four under respectively, but Miguel Angel Jimenez – first and second the last two weeks - was deep in the pack on one over with seven to play.

Harrington added his fourth birdie on the 439-yard next and when he then eagled the 583-yard seventh he was an incredible six under for the day.

At nine under for the event he was up to joint third, one behind O’Hern and four behind McDowell.

Levet, on the other hand, double-bogeyed the fifth to drop to four under, alongside Casey and one behind Clarke.