I CELEBRATED & GOT LOCKED

Harrington didn’t have the key but he shared a secret of his success

PADRAIG HARRINGTON had the key to a first victory in six years on Sunday – but it was a different story when he got home to Dublin.

Signing off on the first of three interviews yesterday to mark his US Senior Open triumph, Harrington laughed and said he had “one little story” to add.

“I would have had the USGA Senior Open trophy sitting in the background, and I planned to put it in between the Open trophies and the PGA trophy,” said the 50-year-old.

“But I can’t figure out how to open the combination lock on the trophy box.”

Harrington will arrive to a hero’s welcome in Mount Juliet today, when he begins his preparations for the Horizon Irish Open.

While Shane Lowry, Seamus Power and Tyrrell Hatton will form the marquee three-ball on Thursday morning, Harrington goes out with Thomas Pieters and defending champion Lucas Herbert at lunchtime.

After such a draining mental and physical effort in staying just ahead of Steve Stricker in Pennsylvania last weekend, he could need the crowd to keep him going in the Irish Open.

“My energy levels will be fine as long as I’m in it and competing,” he said.

“That’s always the case. Once you’re in the heat of the hunt, you can find something.

“I’m stressed – there’s no doubt I’m stressed. I’ve got a lot going on as you would at an Irish Open and obviously a short time frame to get that all done.

“I’m playing six tournaments in five weeks, so it’s a very busy run for me.”

Harrington will be straight to Adare

Manor for the JP

Mcmanus Proam after the Irish

Open, then onto the Scottish Open a week out from the

150th Open Championship.

“Looking at my schedule, St Andrews is the first week that I might get a little bit of time to relax,” he smiled.

“It’s an amazing week for the public, there’s no doubt about it.

“Everybody is talking about it. Everybody is going to it. Players-wise, it’s an incredible week. It’s really exciting.

“But in some ways we’ve got to manage that. This is an Open Championship. You’ve got to enjoy it, but try to not make it any more special than it is.

“You’ve got to just turn up and do your stuff, play your game.

“I’ve won two majors, but wow, if you could win an Open at the home of golf – I won’t say I’d retire, because I wouldn’t.

“But it’s that sort of feeling that you’ve accomplished everything that you could in the sense of Open golf to win at the home of golf.”