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Qatar Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Harrington insists ceremonial tee will not dull competitiveness
Two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington appreciates the honour of being asked to get the tournament at Royal Portrush under way but insists the ceremonial duty will not dull his competitive edge. The R&A traditionally give the first shot, scheduled for 6.35am (0535 GMT) on Thursday, to a player they believe deserves the recognition, but is not necessarily considered a contender. Harrington, who won back-to-back Claret Jugs in 2007 and 2008 and at 53 would be the oldest winner if he were successful this week, does not agree with that sentiment. 'I still think I'm a player but I'm quite happy to take the ceremonial position of hitting the first shot. It will be nerve-wracking,' the Irishman, winner of the Senior US Open a fortnight ago, told R&A TV. 'I have to create my own reality and in my reality I can win. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, I think I can do it. 'I have to prepare like I'm coming down the 18th on Sunday and have to hit a couple of great shots to win The Open. 'That is what is in my head for the week and I am trying to get myself in that headspace that everything is leading to Sunday afternoon. I mightn't get there but if I do get there in contention, I have to prepare for it.'
Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Padraig Harrington insists Open ceremonial tee will not dull his competitiveness
The R&A traditionally give the first shot, scheduled for 6.35am on Thursday, to a player they believe deserves the recognition, but is not necessarily considered a contender. Harrington, who won back-to-back Claret Jugs in 2007 and 2008 and at 53 would be the oldest winner if he were successful this week, does not agree with that sentiment. "I still think I'm a player but I'm quite happy to take the ceremonial position of hitting the first shot. It will be nerve-wracking," the Irishman, winner of the Senior US Open a fortnight ago, told R&A TV. "I have to create my own reality and in my reality I can win. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, I think I can do it. "I have to prepare like I'm coming down the 18th on Sunday and have to hit a couple of great shots to win The Open. "That is what is in my head for the week and I am trying to get myself in that headspace that everything is leading to Sunday afternoon. I mightn't get there but if I do get there in contention, I have to prepare for it."
Irish Times
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Fire inside burns brighter than ever for Pádraig Harrington after Senior US Open victory
Pádraig Harrington's legacy is, without doubt, secure. And yet, even at the grand old age of 53, the Dubliner will move onwards from the altitude of Colorado Springs where he won the Senior US Open , to sea level for the next phase of his season. While a second US Senior Open win in four years was claimed at a height of 6,000 feet, way up in the Rockies, Harrington has pencilled in the Genesis Scottish Open and the Open at Royal Portrush as the next two events in his schedule. The win in Colorado again reaffirmed his competitive mindset. It also showed the sheer joy that, even at this juncture of a professional career stretching into a third decade, a win can bring. As he said when asked to put the win into perspective: 'Winning. It's all about winning. Every time you come back out and you win, the nerves are there, the tension is there, you don't want to mess up . . . I think winning a US Senior Open or any tournament on the Champions Tour, it kind of validates your career. It validates the past in a lot of ways. Genuinely, I know I've said this, but you are reliving the past glories.' READ MORE In out-duelling Stewart Cink in a tremendous final round of the US Senior Open, Harrington – who moved from 17th to fifth on the updated Charles Schwab Cup order of merit standings on the Champions Tour – also confirmed his desire and energy remains as strong as ever, with life on the seniors circuit contributing to that freshness. Pádraig Harrington celebrates with caddie Ronan Flood after winning the US Senior Open on Sunday. Photograph:He continued: 'Most of us would have burnt out in golf. You put so much into your golfing career, you burn out. Usually . . . about 20 years is the burn-out period, 15 to 20 years. The Champions Tour is a new lease on life. The only way you can do it is with a different attitude and a new attitude." Harrington elaborated on how a change in attitude hasn't altered his quest for improvement, which has led to him now having a greater ball speed than when he was winning his Majors in 2007 and 2008. He has recorded a ball speed of 189 miles per hour this season, a record for him, thanks to speed-training drills and training aids. 'You're always trying to improve. You're always trying to get better. I don't think there's anything I could do now that I couldn't have done when I was younger. 'I would have done some things different when I was younger, for sure. I don't regret how I approached the game and the way I went about it. Certainly I now appreciate more how much effort it takes to play on a Sunday compared to every other day. 'If you want to win tournaments, you've got to be exceptionally fresh and mentally fresh on Sunday. You've got to have the least amount of stress all the way you can during the week.' Pádraig Harrington waves to the crowd following his victory in Colorado. Photograph:Next up for Harrington will be a return to his roots, so to speak, as he gets back to links golf. Firstly, at next week's Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick. Then, at The Open at Royal Portrush in back-to-back weeks. Meanwhile, Séamus Power – who missed the cut in the Rocket Classic tournament won in a playoff by Aldrich Potgieter – is the lone Irishman in the field at this week's PGA Tour event, the John Deere in Illinois. The tournament offers two exemptions into The Open. On the DP World Tour, Conor Purcell is the only Irishman in the field at the BMW International Open in Munich, while John Murphy and Jack Madden are competing in the Interwetten Open in Austria on the Hotelplanner Tour.
The Irish Sun
29-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Stuart Cink hails Padraig Harrington as friends set to battle it out for Senior US Open title
IRELAND'S Padraig Harrington will hope to see of good pal Stewart Cink in the final round of the Senior US Open. Advertisement 2 Padraig Harrington of Ireland and Stewart Cink of the United States along with Australia's Mark Henby will battle out for the US Senior Open title 2 The trio are all locked on -8 heading into the final round at Broadmoor GC It sets up a wide-open weekend for Harrington, the 2022 champion, after a round that included five birdies, a bogey at the 15th, and a costly double bogey on the 12th. Four of Harrington's five birdies came on the front nine, with his final one arriving in style on the 18th thanks to a chip-in - a finish that left the 53-year-old satisfied. Speaking after the third round, the Ratfarnham ace said: 'It's always great to chip in. "It was great to chip in on the last hole. It was straightforward on the green, but I was chipping against the grain. Advertisement read more on golf "There was quite a bit of grain on that slope. So getting good contact was never going to be easy. 'Yeah, I was very happy with the chip, and it was a big bonus that it went in.' But despite being in direct competition, there's no animosity between the experienced duo. 2009 Advertisement Most read in Golf And their mutual respect is longstanding. Back in 2019, Harrington described Cink as his ideal playing partner and someone he'd 'choose to play with.' Before Cink admitted that he's probably been paired with the Dubliner more than anybody else during his career. Brooks Koepka suffers meltdown and smashes tee marker into fans before withdrawing from LIV Dallas claiming 'illness' Cink. said: "I've always respected his game, and we're very good friends with their family. "It's a comfortable pairing. I love watching him play. I would hope that he probably feels similarly about me. Advertisement "We have mutual respect for each other. He's a world class player and he's been doing it a long time. I would love it if we could go the distance here." But the pair's friendship will be on hold this evening with the US Open title on the line. The closest players to the leading trio are Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, who is just one back after shooting a 66, and Steve Flesch. Harrington, Cink and Hensby get underway at 3:50pm Irish local time. Advertisement
