Padraig Harrington had 'no idea' Rory McIlroy was supporting him at Senior Open

Irish Daily Mirror

2 days ago

Padraig Harrington was so locked in during his final round at the Senior Open that he didn't even realise Rory McIlroy was in attendance cheering him on.
McIlroy is currently building a home in London and popped down to Sunningdale to take in the final round of the major championship, and was no doubt cheering on Harrington as he won his third senior major title.
After carding 65s on Friday and Saturday, a 67 did the business for the 53-year-old, who became just the fifth man ever to win a Senior Open and an Open Championship with his victory in Berkshire.
Throughout the week, Harrington had spoken about how his mental resilience was being tested as he battled a swing that he wasn't comfortable with. He kept his focus all afternoon however, and hardly noticed that he had effectively wrapped up the Championship with a fine showing through 17 holes on Sunday.
'The only time I saw a leaderboard was on 18,' said Harrington, who asked his caddie for an update on the final hole.
'I was fully focused on what I was doing." Rory McIlroy (Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady)
The Dubliner didn't even realise that McIlroy was in attendance cheering him on.
'I didn't see him out there. Was he out there?' Harrington said. 'I had the head down all day. I never saw anybody. I had no idea.'
Not only did Harrington take home a cheque for more than €600,000 and win his second successive senior major, the two time Open Champion joined an elite class of golfers to have won both The Open and Senior Open.
Gary Player, Bob Charles, Tom Watson and Darren Clarke had all achieved the feat, with Harrington now the fifth member of the illustrious group.
'I'm thrilled to have won but very satisfied that I've won a Senior Open with my two Opens,' Harrington said. '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."
'I think they are the sort of things that you realise over the next couple of days, the significance of it. I'm thrilled, euphoric, that I've gotten it done.
'There are some great names on the trophy. I was watching it coming out last night. I was looking up inside 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 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, 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.'