You get the impression Pádraig Harrington would like nothing better than to reinvent the wheel, if only to prove he can do things his way.
That’s just how it is with the Dubliner. Nine years ago he arrived here at Royal Birkdale with a dodgy wrist – from slamming his driver into a beanbag of all things – and with a major question mark on whether he’d be able to play at all.
He did play, and he won. Again.
In defying his injured wrist in 2008 to retain the Claret Jug he’d won at Carnoustie the previous year, Harrington showed an indelible fortitude that isn’t often found in the plush, often-pampered world occupied by elite touring professionals. He’s not afraid of pain, of putting in the hard yards to gain an extra inch.
“He’s a hard worker, we all are, but he’s probably even more,” remarked Sergio Garcia of Harrington’s work ethic.
Now, he’s back on the Lancashire coast; and, again, that indelible spirit is evident. So too that wee follow-through with his foot, to prevent any greater stress on his back than is required.
In a year which has seen Harrington undergo neck surgery – necessitating a 10-week absence from the circuit to rehabilitate – and, then, suffering a freakish injury to his elbow, when hit by an amateur golfer during a coaching clinic, which resulted in a further two-week absence, there is an irony that there is a freshness about his game approaching this British Open.
Of the recoveries from those setbacks, he observed: “I have to think I’m slightly ahead of it.”
As if on cue, Harrington produced his best finish of the season so far with a fourth-place in the Scottish Open. Typical Harrington, it was far from straightforward.
His third round 79 – which he started as leader – plunged him down the leader board; his closing 66, 13 shots better, saw him shoot back up.
“Completely no difference in the physical way I went about things,” explained Harrington of the difference. “I got a little bit unlucky on Saturday, and I got a little bit lucky on Sunday, and that was the difference.”
Such an understanding as Harrington’s, of course, comes with time. Age. Experience.
Links golf
Harrington is 45 years of age. But – and especially in his case – that’s just a number; and, of all the Majors, this is the one that has produced older winners. Why?
“Obviously an Open championship can be played by short hitter; and, as you get older, you get shorter relative to the field. So, a guy hitting the right ball flight will hit it further into the wind, 160 miles an hour efficient ball flight is going to go further than 180 miles an hour inefficient. That’s why an older guy can compete with the younger guys.
“Plus experience, a lot of the younger guys are physically gifted, but they don’t have the experience with links golf . . . everyone can compete, short and long hitters, it’s not one-dimensional, the Open championship.”
And, for Harrington, there is an edge to be found in playing on a links course. “Clearly 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 more . . . it gives me an advantage to be on a links course, for sure.”
It is nine years since Harrington returned the Claret Jug on the Monday and retained it on the Sunday. It was a “gruelling” week, as he recalled, weather-wise and his enforced lack of practice rounds worked in his favour. He got treatment on his wrist injury, and didn’t wear himself out in the pre-tournament days out on the course.
“I got lucky in 2008; I came into the tournament and I was injured. And it just took a lot of the expectations off. I was able to do all the stuff that you have to do as defending champion and have time to do it. Because I wasn’t playing practice rounds that week, I basically freed up a lot more time, there was a lot less stress.
“The week turned out to be a gruelling, tough week. And I played the least amount of golf, probably was the freshest guy on the golf course Thursday morning and happy to be there. And certainly the freshest probably come Sunday. So I think it just worked out in my favour.”
A champion
Now, nine years on, a return to Royal Birkdale has brought back “good memories,” particularly because of the way he won, the way he imposed himself on the links and on the field.
“I think I won from the wrong side of the draw; I was in the last group Sunday and I played great, swung the club great. Hit a great shot on the 71st hole. I did everything you dream about doing as a kid to win a Major. And it was a very satisfying feeling to get my second Major here, my second Open championship.”
As if he needs any reminding of those two British Open wins, Harrington has the replica Claret Jugs positioned on his kitchen counter.
“I don’t need to look a trophies to know I’m a champion. The two of them are sitting there, it’s just a nice place to have them. If you ask me consciously to think about it, I kind of go, ‘why wouldn’t you put the two biggest trophies you’ve won somewhere where you see them regularly? Why would you hide them like that somewhere away?’
“If you’ve got something, something nice, I wouldn’t be a person to put it away in a box and hide it. I’d be more likely to want to make use of it. I think putting the two trophies where I see them every day, and the PGA trophy, is just making nice use of it.”
And, yet, nine years on, there remains that desire to have a third Claret Jug, and a fourth Major title. Can he? He can’t say. Just enough, though.
“Obviously this week, it’s interesting. I’ve come in in better form. I’m playing decent golf and contending, trying to contend.”
And contending, as everyone knows, is half the battle. And sometimes more than that.
