LIFF IN THE OLD DOG YET
Hotshot Harri has bookies running scared
BOOKIES across Ireland and the UK are likely to watch Padraig Harrington’s second round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open from behind the nearest sofa.
To think some of them were offering the seasoned 46-year-old Dubliner at mind boggling odds of 120/1 before yesterday’s opening round at a sun-draped Ballyliffin.
Harrington had been left perplexed by a quote of 66/1 earlier in the week
– but he was even more taken aback to learn some brave souls were offering him north of 100/1.
“Somebody in the media told me I was 120,” chuckled the links specialist after ending the day on four under, one shot off overnight leader Ryan Fox. Who knows what the golfing gods will gift him on the Inishowen Peninsula today but Harrington recognises a platform when he sees one and is eager to stay in the mix.
Coming down the stretch on Sunday with the sun and Irish support at his back holds a certain appeal.
Looking forward to this afternoon’s second round, the three-time Major champion, currently ranked 268th in the world, said: “Gee whiz, it would be nice if it was more of the same. “There’s a lot to go on but at least shooting four-under, a lot is in my own hands whether I can be in contention come Sunday afternoon.
“I know if I stay patient, hopefully I’ll manage it well enough to get myself into a position with nine holes to go. I know
I’d become a different animal in that situation.
“You have got to stay in the tournament. That’s the goal – to keep myself in position with nine holes to go and then I can have a bit of fun.”
Harrington, who won the Irish Open at Adare Manor 11 years ago (left), is relishing the prospect of “giving something back” to the partisan home galleries in his first ever visit to Donegal.
Chipping in for an eagle at the 562-yard 17th – his eighth hole – set the collective pulse racing, while a birdie at the spectacular par three seventh had the home support cheering in the aisles.
“It was nice to get the cheer,” said Harrington,
“birdieing the seventh was a big deal down the hill. The signature hole with everybody there, it was a nice buzz and I had to keep myself calm.
“I love playing links golf and it’s nice to shoot a good score and keep myself in there. There was a bit of a buzz out there and it was nice I could give something back.”
Elsewhere, Shane Lowry’s opening round ended in frustration when four bogeys on the back nine saw him finish level par.
The World No90, who won the Irish Open as an amateur at Baltray in 2009, reached the turn at two-under but dropped shots at the 10th, 12th, 15th and 18th cost him dear.
“I made a few silly bogeys – it’s very frustrating,” said Offaly man Lowry. “I felt I was going along nice and then I three-putted
15 which was very disappointing. It could be better but it could be worse.”
Englishman Danny Willett once reached a career-high of ninth in the world after his victory at the Masters in 2016 but has slumped to 442nd after suffering injuries and a loss of form.
After his four-under round he smiled: “It’s always nice to get these scores.”
Irishmen Paul Dunne, Gavin Moynihan, Cormac Sharvin and Paul Mcginley ended one over, with 2011 Open champion champion Darren Clarke shooting a three-over round of 75.
Athlone’s Colm Moriarty, who qualified at Rossapena last weekend, looked destined to card a below par round but a double bogey at the last saw him finish one over.