Harrington claws his way back on the greens at Torrey

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - British Open champion Padraig Harrington finally got the putts to drop at the U.S. Open en route to a flawless four-under-par 67 in Friday's second round.

The 36-year-old Irishman had left himself an uphill task to make the cut after his struggles on the greens led to an opening 78 on the South Course at Torrey Pines.

"Strangely I felt like I played better yesterday," Harrington told reporters after taking advantage of reasonably receptive morning conditions to post a three-over total of 145.

"Yesterday was very difficult on the greens in the afternoon. They dried up and the sun was out and they were only going one way from there. It was putting a lot of pressure on the rest of my game.

"Every time I hit a slightly off shot, I was making at least a bogey," added the Dubliner who totaled 27 putts in the second round after amassing 32 on Thursday. "I came out today and played nicely, maybe not as good in terms of striking.

"I had the odd missed shot but I was holing the putts that I was missing yesterday. I still made four birdies like yesterday but just holed the odd par putt here and there.

"When you are doing that, it makes it so much easier to hit your shots into the greens. You are so much more accepting of the odd bad shot you hit when you are holing the putts and that was what I did today."

Harrington, who won his first major title in last year's British Open at Carnoustie, birdied two holes on each nine to claw his way back up the leaderboard in the second major of the year.

"I made four birdies yesterday and I said to myself, if I can make four more today and keep the rest of it tidy, I knew I'd have a good score," said the 12-times European Tour winner, who ran up three double-bogeys in the opening round.

"I was aiming for 69 today but 67 is a nice return. The pins seem a bit easier today to be honest but they always do when you shoot 67."

(Editing by Alan Baldwin)