Padraig Harrington admits he’s ‘disappointed’ by the changes St Andrews have made to the Old Course in recent years

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Despite being a two-time Open champion, Padraig Harrington has had quite an interesting record at St Andrews over the years.

Padraig Harrington won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on two occasions – finishing five shots clear of anyone else back in 2006. But he has not had the best time whenever The Open Championship has been hosted at the Old Course at St Andrews.

The 2005 Open Championship was the only major Harrington did not play between 2000 and 2013. Meanwhile, he missed the cut when the event returned to the Home of Golf in 2010.

He has finished tied for 20th on two occasions, including in 2015. Harrington had actually been fifth and two shots off the lead heading into the final round.

Padraig Harrington says he’s disappointed about change to St Andrews

However, three bogeys and a double bogey in his final five holes put paid to his chances of winning a fourth major title. He also made a double bogey on the front nine, with his ball lost in the gorse bushes on six.

So you may assume that Harrington would be in favour of some of those bushes being cut away. However, speaking on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast about the best courses in the United Kingdom, the 53-year-old bemoaned the decision to make the challenge of playing the Old Course easier.

“St Andrews is always going to be the best. It just is. I’m disappointed in St Andrews though that they took out a huge amount of gorse to help speed up play for the amateurs when they’re playing there. It’s just made the golf course so much easier. It’s ridiculously easier a golf course because of what they’ve done,” he said.

“You’re not intimidated anywhere near as much standing on the 10th tee or the ninth tee or the sixth tee because all the gorse has gone. I lost my ball in 2015, I was trying to drive the sixth green, I’ve hit a nice drive down the right, tight down the right, I’m leading the tournament in the last round and I lost my ball. It went in the gorse, just on the edge of the gorse and I’m trying to drive the green and it went in the gorse. That gorse isn’t there, they’ve trimmed it back now. It’s amazing what they’ve done to speed up rounds of golf.”

Changes needed at St Andrews with iconic course standing out among The Open Championship rota

There have been low scores at many of The Open Championship venues. But the winning score at St Andrews has consistently been extremely low since the turn of the century.

The worst winning score at the venue in the last 25 years came in 2005 when Tiger Woods finished at 14 under par. Meanwhile, Cameron Smith got to 20 under par in 2022.

Harrington meanwhile, won at Royal Birkdale in 2008 with a score of three over par.

The Open Championship rota should always include the Old Course, without question. However, it would be fantastic for the event if they could find a way to make the iconic track a much more fierce test, and not one which is largely relying on the weather to provide its teeth.