There was a quiet smile of acceptance as he talked about needing two, well-hit drivers to reach the green at the 468yard 17th. Then there were the two seven-iron shots which advanced the ball only 40 yards in the murderous rough. Padraig Harrington was mentally prepared for the US Open at the Olympic Club.

Though he arrived here last Thursday night, the 26-year-old had the maturity to wait until he was reasonably acclimatised before having his first practice round. That was on Monday, in the company of Thomas Bjorn.

It was his introduction to rough which has been described as "thicker than Michael Jordan's wallet". Indeed the 1984 champion, Fuzzy Zoeller, considered it "some of the best stuff they've had in a long time. It's brutal."

Then there was the 17th, normally played as a 522-yard par-five by the members. During the 1987 US Open, the fairway, which slopes severely from left to right, was cut to five-sixteenths of an inch, prompting Jack Nicklaus to comment: "There isn't a green on the course that's as fast as that fairway."

For this staging, however, they have built a new tee and re-cut the fairway several yards further right in an attempt at making the tee-shot less prone to undeserved disaster. But it required a particularly accurate driver by Harrington to get on the tiny green, which was designed for a short-iron approach.

Yet for all that, the Lake Course could be likened to a Saville Row suit. Not at all flashy, it is intelligently designed and beautiful in its details - a testing layout with a distinct and imposing character.

The Dubliner was back in action yesterday, having worked on the practice ground with coach, Howard Bennett, who made the trip out here specially to be with his gifted pupil. Harrington's verdict? "It's a fabulous course which has been set up sensibly," he said.

He went on to suggest that it offered him a far greater prospect of success than last year, when he missed the cut by five strokes. "I couldn't believe how many two and three-iron second shots I had to hit at Congressional," he explained.

Then, by way of emphasising the value of experience in an event of this nature, he rejected the notion of a lofted wood, designed to master the rough. "I fully accept that I must take my punishment for any wayward tee-shot," he said. "And I also accept the rough around the greens, even though it deprives me of one of my strengths by taking chipping out of the game. That's the way it is with golf: you've got to adjust your game to suit the course."

As a bright, receptive student of the game, he was particularly interested in the fact that Scott Simpson, the 1987 winner here, was five-under-par for the par-threes. In fact, he birdied the 157yard 15th in every round. "What score did he finish with?" Three under. Another smile flickered across the Dubliner's face.

"I can see how that might happen," he said. "With the greens soft at the moment, the par-threes are certainly vulnerable, and they can't hide the pins like they did on the elevated Congressional surfaces. Either way, the short game is going to be crucial."

Golfing maturity hasn't come quite so easily to Darren Clarke, but significant recent progress has been evident in his quiet build-up this week. "Being more at ease with myself, I'm not afraid to take the odd day off if the opportunity presents itself."

He was referring to the fact that he is currently in the sixth week of an eight-week run that will take him on to the Western Open next week and then to the Murphy's Irish Open at Druids Glen. "This is the first time I've come to a US Open feeling I can do myself justice," he said.

Clarke made his debut in this event in 1994, when he missed the cut by falling victim to Oakmont's treacherous greens. He also failed to last four rounds at Oakland Hills the following year, but made considerable progress with a share of 34th place at Congressional.

His practice plans for yesterday were to have entailed a 7.30 a.m. round with Colin Montgomerie, but the arrangement was promptly cancelled when Monty discovered he would miss the telecast of Scotland's World Cup tie with Norway. So Clarke went out later.