It is remarkable to think that Padraig Harrington’s most recent top 10 in The Open Championship came back in 2008 when he went on to win the Claret Jug for a second time.
Padraig Harrington is one of just three players who has won The Open Championship on more than one occasion since the turn of the century. Tiger Woods and Ernie Els were the others.
Harrington triumphed at Carnoustie in 2007 following a playoff with Sergio Garcia, while he won by four shots at Royal Birkdale one year later. His third and final major title would come at the 2008 PGA Championship.
Harrington has not finished higher than 20th in The Open Championship in the years since. The Irishman turns 54 in August.
Padraig Harrington suggests whether this year’s Open Championship could be his last
He has recently won his second senior major, following the US Senior Open. And Harrington continues to hit the ball a remarkable distance for his age.
He will tee it up at Royal Portrush as he is exempt at The Open Championship until the age of 60. But obviously, some legendary figures choose to step away before their exemption comes to an end.
Some may be wondering how much longer Harrington will continue to turn up at The Open given the size of the task facing him if he hopes to contend. But it seems that the 2021 European Ryder Cup captain has no intention of calling it a day after tackling Portrush this week.
Speaking to Bunkered, Harrington was emphatic in his response when asked if this year could prove to be his final Open Championship appearance.
“Absolutely not. I still have seven years left of my exemption and because I’m physically capable, I feel that I can still compete and win an Open. Last year, I was top ten in ball striking during the week, I was top ten Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green. So, physically, I’m capable of being good enough to win,” he said.
“Mentally, at my age, it’s a long week. I have to get my head in the right place for sure. Am I trying to catch lightning in a bottle? Not quite. It could still happen. When I’m 61 years of age, I’ll probably ask where Open Qualifying is. I don’t shy away from that. It’s who I am. It doesn’t have to be realistic to anyone else but I still believe I can go out there and win another one.”
Why Padraig Harrington can take a lot of belief with him to Royal Portrush
Of course, Harrington does not need to look too far for inspiration ahead of his latest appearance at The Open.
The year after Harrington’s second Open win saw Tom Watson come agonisingly close to winning the event for a sixth time at the age of 59. Ultimately, he was beaten in a playoff by Stewart Cink.
Watson could not compete when it came to distance. But his knowledge of how to approach links golf meant that he stood on the 72nd tee needing just a par to pull off one of the most incredible victories the game has ever seen.
So while Harrington is a huge outsider ahead of the final major of the year, perhaps it would be foolish to completely write him off.
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