Rónán MacNamara in Royal Troon
Pádraig Harrington was left to rue what might have been after late bogeys cost him a realistic chance of winning a third Open Championship as torrential rain soaked Royal Troon.
Harrington was out in some pleasant conditions before persistent heavy rain drenched the fairways and made conditions very difficult.
The Dubliner kept plugging away though and two gutsy pars left him two-under for his round and one-over for the championship.
However, three putt bogeys on 13 and 18 and another dropped shot on 15 saw the three-time major winner slide back to three-over and while a level-par 71 is still a very good score given the conditions he finished in, it has all but ended his chances.
At the time of writing, the 52-year-old is eight thots off the pace set by Daniel Brown and Billy Horschel and six shy of clubhouse leaders Sam Burns, Thriston Lawrence and Russell Henley.
“It’s just not my week,” sighed Harrington who managed to arrest a putting slump this week when he rolled in a 30-footer for birdie on the first before adding another birdie on the seventh and fourteenth.
The leaders are struggling on the back nine with overnight leader Shane Lowry back on three-under with world number one Scottie Scheffler also battling to remain in contention.
“A bit disappointing there at the end three-putting,” added Harrington. “I knew those holes would be tough if we got them in, at this stage, the worst of the weather. I don’t what it is going to be like if it blows even 10 mph in the evening. That back nine was tough without any wind.
“Three-putting 13 was tough. Hit a good drive on 15 but it missed the fairway. So all of a sudden you make two bogeys and then obviously the last as well. So disappointing for sure. You know, I’m just trying to press to get up there, try to get under par, and if the evening is going to be difficult, you never know.
“A couple under par might be…. not wishing Shane bad for sure, I hope he stays up there. But I’m sure anybody two or three under par is going to be sitting nicely at the moment, hoping. So a bit disappointing.”
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