Pádraig Harrington has put the high of hitting the opening tee shot at last week’s Open Championship behind him as he looks to break his Senior Open hoodoo at Sunningdale.
Since joining the over-50s circuit, Harrington has never finished outside the top-5 at the Senior Open including a playoff defeat to Alex Cejka in 2023 and a runner-up spot behind Darren Clarke a year earlier. He is rightfully one of the favourites this week as he searches for his third senior major just weeks after clinching the US Senior Open title.
“I feel good. Yeah, what’s not to feel good about here in Sunningdale. It’s beautiful. Fantastic course. The weather is very nice at the moment,” said Harrington ahead of the event.
“I’m in a good place to compete for sure. You know, coming down here I wasn’t too sure how well this course would suit me. I know it’s a great course, but it can get very fiery. It’s in the fiery at the moment.
“So right now I’m very happy. I’m happy with the lot we’ve got in front of us. I would like it to stay that way for the week. It’s a little green around the greens which is quite nice.”
Harrington missed the cut in Royal Portrush last week but hitting the opening tee shot on Thursday morning was the highlight of the week for the three-time major champion.
“It was a great week for me. Obviously hitting the opening tee shot was very special; great memory.
“Yeah, you know, being in Ireland is so exciting. The crowds were fantastic. I think the golf course was fantastic. The players really love it.”
It was also a homecoming for Darren Clarke last week. The Dungannon native hit the opening tee shot at Royal Portrush in 2019 and although he also missed the cut this time around, he is taking the positives as he hunts his second Senior Open.
“It was nice. It was busy the whole week. It was very well received by both the players and the fans. They really enjoyed it.
We had a little bit of dodgy weather, not as much as I would have liked, but it was a really good week. Disappointed I didn’t play a little bit better, but hopefully I can play a little bit better this week.
The 2011 Open champion knows Sunningdale like the back of his hand although resident Paul McGinley might argue otherwise! Clarke was third here in 2021 and is hoping for firm and fast conditions.
“Yeah, the course is wonderful. Not quite as fiery as it was then. Fairways are a little bit softer. Greens are a little bit softer right now. But if it dries out a little bit, I’m sure we’ll get that little bit more fiery that I’m more used to Sunningdale playing like.”
McGinley completes the Irish lineup in the field which also includes Collin Montgomerie, Retief Goosen, Rich Beem, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Ernie Els, Angel Cabrera, and defending champion KJ Choi among others.
Leave a comment