BET YOU I MIX IT UP
Padraig vows he’ll beat the odds in Donegal
BY DALE RANKIN PADRAIG HARRINGTON might be chasing a first win since 2016 – but reckons he should still be among the favourites for a second Irish Open title.
Defending champion Jon Rahm and four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy are 7-1 joint favourites to win at Ballyliffin with a first prize of £885,000 up for grabs.
But although Harrington has missed the cut in seven of his 12 events in 2018 – and is now ranked 268th in the world – he was surprised to find himself rated 66-1 to demonstrate his prowess on the links and lift the trophy in Donegal.
Harrington, 46, won the Irish Open in 2007, two months before claiming his first Major title in The Open at Carnoustie.
And the Dubliner said: “The bookies don’t normally get it wrong but they priced me up like we were playing a parkland course. But on a links course that’s a surprise.”
Told of the low price on joint favourites Rahm and McIlroy, ranked fifth and eighth in the world respectively, Harrington added: “They may be more likely to win this week than me but there shouldn’t be 59 points between us.
“The nature of the game for me now is to win or nothing. Finishing 10th is no fun. Maybe I put myself under too much stress when the gun goes.
“But I’ve shown if I can get into that position where I’ve a chance of winning I only play better down the stretch.”