Padraig Harrington gets Open under way at Royal Portrush
Harrington took an iron and hit the middle of the fairway – which was more than Rory McIlroy did six years ago when the tournament returned to the Dunluce Links after finding out of bounds down the left on his first morning – and responded with a beaming smile.
The opening tee shot of The 153rd Open. pic.twitter.com/rRZokRqF8M
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2025
Despite being given the honour Harrington, who won the US Senior Open a fortnight ago, is determined to compete as he bids to become the oldest winner of the Claret Jug.
'I still think I'm a player but I'm quite happy to take the ceremonial position of hitting the first shot. I have to create my own reality and in my reality I can win,' he said on Wednesday.
There was almost as much noise for 22-year-old Tom McKibbin, from McIlroy's Holywood club an hour down the road, whose tee shot crept into the left rough, while Ryder Cup winner Nicolai Hojgaard also found the fairway.
Harrington hit his approach to 18 feet and holed his birdie attempt, which was greeted by a loud roar and another broad grin from the Irishman, but McKibbin took three to get to the green for a bogey.
The morning starters, which included world number one and US PGA champion Scottie Scheffler playing alongside Irish 2019 champion Shane Lowry and former winner Collin Morikawa off at 10.09am, were likely to get the best of the weather.
That also meant the group ahead of Xander Schauffele, beginning his defence of the Claret Jug, Jon Rahm and US Open champion JJ Spaun would also be likely beneficiaries.
Conversely McIlroy, not due out until 3.10pm with Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood and American rival Justin Thomas, was facing a greater chance of rain, some of it heavy, with winds gusting up to 20mph.
Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, second at last month's US Open, Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth, European Ryder Cup partners Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland, were also paired together in the two groups immediately prior to McIlroy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
McIlroy to miss PGA Tour play-off opener
Rory McIlroy will not play in the opening play-off event of the PGA Tour season next week. The Masters champion was not listed in the field for the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis, which was released on Friday. Northern Ireland's McIlroy has not played since finishing tied seventh at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush last month. The tournament in Memphis will mark world number one Scottie Scheffler's return after his four-shot victory at the Open. Three-time FedEx Cup winner McIlroy, 36, struggled at the St Jude Championship last year, finishing joint second last on nine over par. The top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings after this week's Wyndham Championship will qualify for the St Memphis, the top 50 will advance to the BMW Championship in Maryland on 14-17 August. The season-ending Tour Championship, featuring the top 30 players, takes place in Atlanta the following week. McIlroy, who is second behind Scheffler in the FedEx Cup standings, is scheduled to play in the Irish Open at the K Club and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in September before returning to the United States for the Ryder Cup in New York.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Golf icon's plea will leave 'bad taste' in Rory McIlroy's mouth after he called him out
Ernie Els has called for The Open to return to Muirfield, a course that past adversary Rory McIlroy admitted would leave him with a 'bad taste in his mouth' whenever he played there Rory McIlroy once confessed he'd be left with a sour taste whenever he teed off at Muirfield, but Ernie Els has now urged The Open to make its comeback to the Scottish venue. Muirfield was stripped from the major championship's hosting schedule in 2016. That decision was made following a contentious ballot which maintained the prohibition on female membership. Whilst this ruling was overturned just 12 months later, the harm had already been inflicted in McIlroy's view. The Open hasn't made its way back to Muirfield since being reinstated to the rota in 2017. Yet now Els, who has previously locked horns with Masters winner McIlroy, has delivered a heartfelt plea regarding the links course. "Yes, Muirfield should host [The Open] as soon as possible," the two-time Open winner told reporters at the unveiling of his Els Club Vilamoura, a new Algarve golf venue. "I'm not sure why it's not gone back there. It's been more than 10 years. Normally there is a 10-year gap between Opens at a particular course. In my view, Muirfield is up there, it's in my top three [courses]." Muirfield previously staged The Open in 2013, when Phil Mickelson secured the Claret Jug. Despite being restored to the rotation eight years ago, golf's oldest tournament has yet to make its return, reports Belfast Live. Should McIlroy's remarks from 2017 be taken into account, Northern Ireland's top golfer would probably prefer it never does, as he exclaimed: "In this day and age where you've got women who are the leaders of certain industries and heads of state, not being able to join a golf course, I think it's obscene and ridiculous. "They sort of saw sense, but I still think [the fact that] it got to this stage is horrendous. We'll go back and play the Open because they've let women members in, but every time I go to Muirfield now I won't have a great taste in my mouth." Much to McIlroy's probable dismay, R&A chief executive Mark Darbon has revealed that talks are taking place about Muirfield staging an Open Championship, with the sole obstacle being the venue's practice facilities. "We love the golf course at Muirfield," confessed Darbon. "We're in discussions with the venue right now. There are some things we need to evolve at Muirfield, the practice ground, in particular is a challenge for us with a modern Open. "There's some work to facilitate some infrastructure we need, but there's some good dialogue and we'd love to go back there in the future." It appears that both McIlroy and Els are at odds over The Open's seemingly certain comeback to Muirfield, and this isn't the first occasion both have clashed. Earlier this year, McIlroy was questioned about when he'd retire from the sport and responded bluntly to an enquiry about the Champions Tour, previously known as the Senior PGA Tour. When asked whether he'd contemplate ever competing on the aforementioned tour, McIlroy didn't hold back and declared: "Absolutely not. "I will not play Champions Tour golf. Look, I've said a lot of absolutes in my time that I've walked back, but I do not envision playing Champions Tour golf. Something has gone terribly wrong if I have to compete at golf at 50." Els appeared to take offence at such a harsh dismissal, and he turned to social media, writing: "Interesting to read Rory McIlroy's comments today. At 35 years old I was also bullet proof saying things about not playing past 50. I'm 55 now and laughing at my comments from back then. "The Champions Tour is so fulfilling with a great bunch of players we all grew up together from junior golf. Our sponsors and partners are wonderful companies and people. Competition is a powerful tool!"
Evening Standard
2 days ago
- Evening Standard
Why was Triple H with Donald Trump?
The event, which included former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, golfer Bryson DeChambeau, and Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, among others, took place as the US gets ready to host the 2025 Ryder Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup, and 2028 Summer Olympics—all of which are significant feathers in Trump's cap for his second term.
