Harrington looking to revive Royal memories

PADRAIG Harrington has nothing but fond memories of Royal Birkdale, but is glad to have got his reminiscing out of the way before returning to the scene of his second Open Championship triumph.

After beating current Masters champion Sergio Garcia in a play-off at Carnoustie in 2007, Harrington successfully defended his title at Birkdale the following year, a closing 69 securing a fourshot win over Ian Poulter.

Just a month later Harrington again edged out Garcia to win the US PGA Championship at Oakland Hills, in what would prove to be his last victory on a major worldwide tour for seven years. Victory in the 2015 Honda Classic came as the Dubliner was about to drop out of the world’s top 300 and he had drifted back to 153rd before winning the Portugal Masters in October 2016.

But despite undergoing neck surgery earlier this year and fearing his career could be over after being hit on the elbow by an amateur, he was coaching, Harrington is determined not to simply make up the numbers.

The 45-year-old, who visited the course recently for a promotional day with one of his sponsors, said: “I didn’t play the golf course but it was nice to get back, see people, see the golf course.

“I had experience twice of defending an Open and while I’m not this time, it’s kind of like that. There’s more stress. There’s more things going on, more people wanting to stop you and talk to you; ‘Do you remember that shot,’ and ‘I was there that day.’

“I got some of that out of the way and that’s important if I want to be competitive the week of the Open. It’s a long week and you want the least amount of things draining your energies.

“If you want to be strong on Sunday, you’ve got to take it easy. I would be guilty early on in my career of going all out to be ready for Thursday and sometimes by Sunday, really being out of energy.” Padraig Harrington