Pádraig Harrington admitted that he got overconfident and it’s something he has always struggled with in his career as he squandered a golden opportunity to win the Senior PGA Championship at Congressional.
Leading by two shots with four to play, Harrington double bogeyed the par-4 15th before three putting from 30-feet on the 18th for a closing bogey as he lost out to Angel Cabrera by one shot.
Harrington was in dreamland and looked to be coasting to a second senior major title when he rolled in seven birdies in his first fourteen holes to come from behind and take the outright lead. But a hook off the 15th tee started a disastrous run to the clubhouse and the 53-year-old admits he lost his focus coming down the stretch.
“I got off to a good start. Kept my head down. Like 7-under through 14, I could have been more, doing handstands,” explained Harrington who was allowed to wipe off a bird dropping from his golf ball on the 14th green.
“I’ve had a lifelong problem with getting confident and cocky and I did on the 15 tee box it was such a simple tee shot. 5-wood, a little draw down there, and I just totally didn’t get into it enough and then panicked at the last moment and hit a big hook.
“It’s always plagued me my whole life since I’ve been a kid. Just get over confident and just don’t. I’d be much better off if I got to the 15th hole and there was water everywhere. Probably would’ve done a better job. I just sometimes just — it follows me around. I can get overconfident.
“Yeah, was all too easy at that stage. Not too easy, but it was an easy shot. I was laying up with the bunker. There is no trouble down there. It’s yeah, all going very well.
“Obviously when you mess up like that everything is tough after that. I hit some beautiful iron shots all week. Hit a great 9-iron into 16. Hit a great 9-iron into 17. Hit a great wedge into 18.
“I hit a good first putt on 18. Didn’t see that break at all. You know, obviously I missed a putt back up the hill. We are on the Champions TOUR. That’s all I’ll say about that.”
Harrington famously made a mess of the 72nd hole at the Open Championship in Carnoustie in 2007 before eventually beating Sergio Garcia in a playoff and he felt similar emotions last night and also recalled another near miss from his amateur days.
“I lost a tournament when I was 18 years of age back the Irish Youth and I did the exact same thing. Two ahead with three to play and relaxed. I’m much better off in with nerves and tension.
“I was just relaxed on 15 and then I did it on 18 tee, 72nd hole at Carnoustie. Couldn’t see myself hitting a bad — that was the exact same. Stood there so confident, and at the last moment I had a little bit of doubt.
“If you start off with doubt, when you feel doubt over the ball it doesn’t feel so bad. If you start off confident then you feel doubt it’s like a blowup. So, yeah, so I was just too confident. Happens.”
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