Padraig Harrington joined golfing legends Gary Player and Tom Watson on an exclusive list after winning the Senior Open.
Harrington assumed the lead of the tournament during the second round at Sunningdale and never looked back over the weekend.
The Irishman was already one of the top players on the PGA Tour Champions, but it is hard to argue that he’s not the best now.
He won the US Senior Open last month and just followed it up with another major victory to round off an excellent season.
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Padraig Harrington reacts to winning the Senior Open at Sunningdale
Harrington is not the type to dismiss the importance of his achievements. He’s fully aware of the history of the game and feels honored to be a part of it.
The 54-year-old spoke about adding to his “legacy” in his press conference after winning the Senior Open on Sunday afternoon.
“As you get older, you realise a lot of things are legacy and what you’ve done, and you want to win on a great golf course like Sunningdale,” Harrington said.
“You want to do things that stand out, and having won a real Open, coming out, winning the Senior Open, it does give some… it adds a validation. It’s certainly satisfying to do it, to extend your career that way.
“There are some great names on the trophy. I was watching it come out last night. I was looking up at the board that has all the winners.
“It’s a deep sense of satisfaction. I’m kind of on a high of winning, but then there will be that deep sense of satisfaction knowing that you’ve done both. And especially when you come to this stage, there’s only a certain window.
“You know, you can win later on as a senior, but the window, they say, is sort of up to about 55, 56, so you want to get it done. And having had a couple of second places, I didn’t want to leave it too long. It would start becoming a problem if you don’t win it too soon, and I’m glad I got mine.”
Padraig Harrington becomes the fifth winner of The Open and the Senior Open
Harrington made some history with his Senior Open victory, which involved both Gary Player and Tom Watson.
He became only the fifth player ever to win The Open and the Senior Open, alongside Player, Watson, Darren Clarke, and Bob Charles.
“I’m thrilled to have won, but very satisfied that I’ve won a Senior Open with my two Opens,” Harrington reacted to this piece of history.
“The fact that only five people have ever done it is quite special. I’m quite proud that I’ve managed to survive this long in the game.
“Longevity, at this stage, I think we look for a lot of things about our legacy in the game. The fact that I’m only the fifth person to have done that double is pretty special.”
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