HE’S ON COURSE
Harrington tips friend Lowry to join Open club
PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON is convinced Shane Lowry has the qualities to add his name to Ireland’s roll call of Open champions.
Lowry is the only member of the Irish fab four competing at Birkdale this week yet to hold the Claret Jug aloft.
And Harrington, a close friend, believes this could be his time. ‘Shane can definitely win,’ insisted the Dubliner yesterday.
‘Physically, he’s got the game and he knows how to play links golf. He knows how to win on the big occasion,’ added the double Open winner.
‘I think that’s probably the biggest thing for Shane, his wins, when he won the Irish Open as an amateur, that was probably bigger in terms of stress and pressure than it would be for him to win this week.
‘And at Bridgestone, again, he showed he can
handle it,’ added Harrington. ‘You can never write off any of the Irish guys. ‘Myself, Rory [McIlroy] and Darren [Clarke] have done it before. We understand links golf and it certainly lends itself to helping us.’ Harrington gives himself a fighting chance of equalling Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo as a three-time champion. ‘I think I’m a credible contender on any golf course, but bring me to a links golf course, no doubt about it, it gives me an advantage.’ Meanwhile, Masters champ Sergio Garcia admitted yesterday he and Harrington are ‘totally different personalities’. ‘If you try and make him (Harrington) play the way I play, it’s probably not going to work for him. And I tried to play the way he plays, it’s probably not going to work for me. Everybody is different but the patience he has obviously helps.’ Garcia has twice been runner-up, to Harrington and McIlroy.