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New York Times
16-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The British Open Is Special to Tom Watson. He Won It Five Times.
A half century has passed since Tom Watson captured the first of his five British Opens, defeating Jack Newton by one in an 18-hole playoff at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland. Watson's most memorable Open triumph, however, came in 1977 at Turnberry in Scotland when he closed with a 65 to edge Jack Nicklaus by a stroke in what became known as the Duel in the Sun. Turnberry was also the venue for one of Watson's toughest losses. In the 2009 British Open, Watson led by one on the final hole but made a bogey and fell to Stewart Cink in a four-hole playoff. With this year's Open starting Thursday at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, Watson, 75, reflected on his past appearances. The following conversation has been edited and condensed. What stands out about your British Open win in 1975? What stands out is when I was receiving the trophy from the captain of the R&A, he said to the crowd, 'Now I'd like to introduce as the champion golfer of the year, Tom Kite.' That's how unknown I was. What did the victory do for your confidence? It was obviously a victory in a very important tournament, but I was still trying to learn how to win. I hadn't learned how yet. I felt I had the tools to win, but I didn't perform when the chips were down. A lot of it has to do with trusting your golf swing, but it also had to do with swinging too fast and making quick decisions. I finally learned by walking a beat slower and deep breathing coupled with a trust in your golf swing. Things started to fall into place. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Khaleej Times
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
From Dubai's fairways to Senior glory: Harrington's winning spirit shines bright
Padraig Harrington's relationship with Dubai and the UAE golf community is long-standing and celebrated. Since his early appearances in the Dubai Desert Classic, finishing as a runner-up in 2001 behind Thomas Bjørn, to competing as recently as January 2025, the Irishman has been a familiar and admired presence at the region's premier golf events. His repeated visits over more than two decades underscore his commitment to the Middle East's growing golf scene and its passionate fans. This close connection to Dubai's golf culture adds a special resonance to his latest triumph at the U.S. Senior Open, where Harrington, now 53, demonstrated once again why he remains one of the sport's most compelling competitors. Walking down the 18th fairway at the challenging Broadmoor course, Harrington faced a critical decision: play conservatively and risk the course's tricky, undulating greens, or attack aggressively and take control of his fate. 'Sometimes playing it safe is not the right option,' the former Ryder Cup Captain said, recalling advice from golf legend Hale Irwin: 'When in doubt, it's always better to play the shot you'd play if you were losing by a stroke.' His decision paid off as rival Stewart Cink, trailing by a single stroke and playing ahead, found his approach shot spin back from a ledge, leaving a challenging 35-foot putt that narrowly missed. With both players on the green, Harrington's composed two-putt par sealed his second U.S. Senior Open title in just four years, finishing at 11-under 209, one shot ahead of Cink. The moment on the 18th brought a lighthearted pause, and a bit of camaraderie, as Harrington courteously marked his ball so Cink could finish his putt first, before tapping in to claim victory. 'It kind of validates your career,' Harrington said of the win. 'It validates the past in a lot of ways. You're reliving the past glories, hitting shots, and waving at the crowds. People are coming out because they know you from the past.' For Stewart Cink, the loss was a tough pill to swallow. The 52-year-old former major champion from the 2009 British Open fought valiantly through a final day packed with lead changes and drama. Despite hitting more greens than anyone else over the tournament, missed putts on the critical 16th and 17th holes kept him from forcing extra drama. Other notable contenders included Miguel Angel Jimenez, another popular figure in UAE golf circles, who electrified the crowd with an eight-birdie charge, though a wayward tee shot on the 18th dashed his hopes of a comeback. Harrington's precise play, particularly his daring approach on the final hole, was a fitting finale to a tournament that has seen him grow as a senior golf icon who still boasts the energy and competitiveness of today's game. For golf fans in Dubai and across the UAE, Harrington's ongoing presence is a reminder of the global connections that enrich the local golf scene. As the region continues to host world-class events like the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the DP World Tour Championship, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, where Harrington has competed consistently in for over two decades, his recent victory reinforces the importance of passion both on the local courses and on the grand stages of senior golf.
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.
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Padraig Harrington bounces back from lost ball row to claim second US Senior Open title by one shot
A week that started with a surreal row over a lost ball ended with Padraig Harrington becoming a multiple major champion on golf's over-50s circuit. By winning the US Senior Open for a second time on Sunday evening, the 53-year-old is now two-thirds of the way to replicating the haul he achieved in his prime. As with his 2007 victory at The Open, this triumph came at the expense of Stewart Cink, whom he beat by a stroke at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs Cink had led by one leaving the 10th green, but his bogey at the next dovetailed with Harrington's birdie for a two-shot swing and the Irishman was flawless over the final seven holes on his way to a 67. At 11 under par for the tournament, he won back the title he lifted in 2022 and an $800,000 payday, with former Ryder Cup team-mate Miguel Angel Jimenez in third. It was a perfect end to a week that began in a fraught manner, when Harrington lost a ball off the tee in the first round and was subsequently filmed in a tense conversation with NBC's Roger Maltbie. Harrington was unimpressed that the former pro had not helped him search in the trees. At 11 under par for the tournament, the 53-year-old won back the title he lifted in 2022 Harrington was heard accusing Maltbie of a breach of etiquette, saying: 'You've played golf all your life. You understand. You don't stand looking at somebody looking for a golf ball.' On Sunday, Maltbie clarified his position to 'I've never had a cross word with Padraig. I've been a Padraig fan all these years. Anyway, I tried to explain to him, 'Padraig, my producer had told me to stand by'. They were going to come to me for a report. I could not do it, searching for your ball inside those trees. So I did not go in. 'Every time I tried to explain to him, he said, 'It's poor etiquette. It's golf etiquette to help somebody in search for a ball', and that I should know better after the years of playing. 'I tried to say, 'Listen, I have a boss'. I'm not a player, and if I were a spectator or certainly playing with him, I would have helped him search for his ball. But I was under instructions. It just wouldn't work. But he wanted no part of it. 'I was very close to saying, 'All these years, all these checks I've gotten from NBC, your name isn't on any of them'. I mean, his caddie works for him, so I'm sure his caddie does what Padraig tells him to do. Well, I have an employer, and if they tell me basically what I'm going to do or what they want from me, I have to honour that. But he just doesn't see it that way.'
BreakingNews.ie
30-06-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Padraig Harrington wins second US Senior Open in four years
Ireland's Padraig Harrington parlayed four front-nine birdies Sunday into steady back-nine play that resulted in a one-shot victory at the US Senior Open at Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado. Harrington fired a 3-under-par 67 to assure a single-stroke victory at 11-under 269 over runner-up Stewart Cink. Advertisement "It was entertaining, wasn't it?" Harrington asked rhetorically after the victory. It was his first win on the PGA Tour Champions in 2025 after previously tying for second at the Senior PGA Championship in May. The win was Harrington's second in four years at this event, however, after previously winning in 2022. He credited his comfort level on the course with helping him prevail late. "Here I'm comfortable," Harrington said. "Look, here I'm not thinking I'm going to miss the cut. Touch wood that doesn't happen. I'm not thinking about that. If you brought me to a regular event Thursday afternoon I would be thinking about the cut line. Advertisement "Whereas here I'm thinking how do I get myself into position. And even the first couple of days I got going and I could have got away from the field. I dropped back a couple (shots). I was still going. All I want to be is with nine holes to go to give myself a chance and be in the right headspace at that time." Cink, who came into the day tied atop the leaderboard with Harrington and Australian Mark Hensby, led through eight holes on the strength of four straight birdies over Nos. 2-5. But Harrington's birdie on the par-5, 530-yard ninth pulled him back into a tie. Harrington had a bogey at No. 10, a birdie at No. 11, and then made par on every hole the rest of the way. Cink, in contrast, had two bad holes -- the 11th and 15th -- and just one birdie to compensate (14th), leaving him a shot shy of what he needed to force a playoff. Advertisement He cited two missed putt opportunities on the 16th and 17th as being the difference. "Those are two putts where the break on the green is going against that mountain," Cink said. "There's not a lot on this course that goes against that mountain. You have to decide which one's going to win out. You can feel it in your feet and you can see where the mountain is and you know where the valley is. It's just really, really hard to commit. "That typifies what you get here, and it's frustrating because I hit really good iron shots there to put myself in position to get up there and force Harrington to make a little bit more of a heroic finish than just pars. But it wasn't to be. I don't know, that's Broadmoor for you. I wish I could have those two putts over." Sport Tommy Fleetwood denied first PGA Tour win on last... Read More Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez made a tremendous charge and got to 10 under, tied with Cink headed into the final hole. But he bogeyed No. 18 to drop him into a third-place finish at 9 under, despite shooting 6-under 64 on the day. Advertisement "If I had a chance to get on the green, I would go for that." Jimenez said about shooting a 5 on the par-4 18th. "But as I was talking with my caddie, 'OK, maybe you can pass the water, but we cannot do anything from there. Is it worth the risk?' Then I still need to go, but he's right. Then make not a bad wedge where I hit it after. "I went high left, more or less, pin high and missed it, but at least give myself a chance to make 4. But if I put it in the water, bye-bye." Hensby, meanwhile, shot a 3-over 73 to fall into a tie for fourth at 5 under with Denmark's Thomas Bjorn (72).
