ISPS HANDA SENIOR OPEN

July 25, 2025

Padraig Harrington

Sunningdale GC

Quick Quotes

Q. Padraig, thanks very much for joining us. Round of 5-under par 65, when you weren't at your brilliant best. Give us your vote on that one.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I rode my luck a lot today. Got my head in the game. Did a lot of good stuff mentally. Short game was sharp. Made my birdies on those holes that you -- two putt on 1, two putt on 9, two putt on 11, crazy kind of three putt on 15.

But I did a good job, where I should make a score score, and then I got in trouble on plenty of other holes. Hit some recovery shots and managed my game, but I never showed much confidence out there at all in my swing at all.

Q. Disappointing three-putt par at 14, the par-5; then you birdie the next hole. Is that evidence of the fight you were talking about when we chatted on course?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Three crazy things -- well, crazy, but, I mean, as I was teeing off on 7 I was nearly hit by acorn coming out of the tree. On that par-5 a bug landed right down by my shoe as I took my backstroke and completely like distracted.

Then on 17 it was actually a leaf. I didn't know what it was. Came in in front of my ball and nearly topped it. I had a weird day in many for those ways. They didn't cost me. Three-putt there was a bit disappointing.

Look, I made up with it. Holed a good putt on that 15th straightaway afterwards. It was a good fight back.

Yeah, look, I got some good breaks. I hit it on the green on 16. That's not to be expected.

Same on 17. Hit a good shot from the trees.

Look, I wouldn't want to play like that -- well, I would like to score like that the next two days, but I wouldn't think I'm going to get away with it. Hopefully will improve a little bit over the next three days.

Q. Three times you've played in this championship, second, second, fifth. Now have an opportunity to win it again this weekend. Thoughts on that opportunity?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, okay. I obviously like these 72-hole ones and the bigger golf courses suit me. I'm glad to see there is a little bit of moisture on this course. It is starting to firm up a bit. As it's gets a little shorter that advantage will be taken away from me. I seem to be scoring okay, so maybe I'll do it a different way this time.