HORIZON IRISH OPEN

July 1, 2022

Padraig Harrington

Mount Juliet Estate

Quick Quotes

Q. Let's cut right to the chase, double-bogey, birdie, birdie finish. Pretty eventful.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, at the end, it's nice when I have to I can make the birdies. Felt comfortable up to that. I should have been a lot better but that's kind of a bit like how I've been on the main tour, just a little bit of -- I feel like I should be up there in the mix and yet I'm at the end of the field trying to make a cut. Like I played nicely today. Just didn't happen early on. Thankfully as you said when I was forced into it the last two holes, I played them well and holed a couple of putts. Sometimes when you're forced to do it, you do it.

Q. You're right on the cut mark at the moment. Do you think you'll be here for the weekend?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: Looks comfortable.

Q. What are the conditions like today in comparison to yesterday? Certainly seems a lot cooler.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: It was lovely for like ten holes I think and then it got cold and a little bit of rain has come in and got windy as well. So I would say at this stage if it stays like this we certainly got the better side of the draw. Clearly if it clears up and goes sunny, 3-under will be in doubt of making the cut. But if stays anything, like it can improve a little but should be fine at 3-under. Looks like we got the right side of the draw at this very moment.

Q. Have you had a chance to read the statement which came out?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: I haven't. I tried to read it in there but my head's a mess. Can't tell you how tired I am. I was reading down through it and it was all gobbly-gook.

Q. Do you think this is going to be an ongoing part of golf in terms of claim, counterclaim, and this is the way it's going to be for a while?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: Honestly, again from what I saw, I thought this was old news to be honest. I didn't realise it was new news. I do need to sit down and have a look at it and see what -- it seems to be old news. I just thought -- I didn't realise any -- that's why I probably need to read it. I didn't realise any of it was -- I thought all this was known. So I'm going to have to have a look at it. If there's anything new in it I'll have to have a look.

Q. Would you have any sympathy from what the LIV golf guys are saying here, do you think?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: I actually don't have any problem with the guys who have gone to LIV golf. They are gone to go and do their thing. Everybody's got to make their own choices but you make a choice. You make your bed and you sleep in it, that's it. It was very clear that the guys who didn't go, especially guys who could have gone, who possibly would have had offers on the table, they have taken a big decision not to take the money.

It was very, very clear that there would be severe sanctions for anybody who went. But I honestly don't judge the guys who went for the money. It's a pretty good offer. Certainly if you turn around and they offer you that sort of money and bear in mind, people at times are looking at the moral side of it. Everybody has different morals depending what country you come from, what religion.

There are so many different things, I don't know why we would impose, and they have gone and happy to have gone, fair play to them. There's certainly room in golf, the rest of golf has started to prove based on that tournament, I'm particularly happy that the European Tour and the PGA TOUR have come out and started focusing on themselves to get better. Instead of trying to pull down the other tour, let them at it. I wouldn't sanction them as far as ling them play in the majors if it was me. I don't have a problem with that. I see it as a competitive tour. I grew up seeing the PGA TOUR as a competitive tour. I don't have a problem with another tour being out there competitive. The players who have gone, that was their choice and they knew what was coming. To be honest most of the players on this side will think that the sanctions are too light, way too light. So the players would be wanting more. And they are friends. We are all friends. Like we know each other. We're saying, you have gone and done your thing, we are going to do our thing and definitely don't begrudge anybody who has gone. With the commitment that LIV look like they have, they look like they will be here for years to come and players will do very well out of it. But that's their tour, and this is the DP World Tour and the PGA TOUR is over there. There has somebody some boundaries.

Q. How difficult to come and perform the way you did here after all the highs of last weekend?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: Story of my life on the main tour. I go out there and I seem to play okay, and you know, I feel like I should be 8-under par, 8- , 9-under par winning this tournament, looking at the leaderboard and I felt I was that way at the end.

Then all of a sudden I'm on the cut line and as I keep saying it's very, very difficult when you're on that cut line. The only thing is the fact I won last week, obviously it's amazing when good things are happening, I birdied the last two holes. Probably if I didn't win last week I would finish with a par and birdie and be going home.

Q. Obviously if you don't make the cut again, some nice golf in Ireland to look forward to?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, look, I'd be shocked if I missed the cut from 4th place. I think that's where I am now, assuming that the weather didn't turn around and get sunny and wind calm down, I would think it's not going to move back 20 spots in the afternoon.

Q. DP World Tour have issued a harshly worded statement. Do you back them on the stance of the sanctions of the players that have gone to LIV?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: I'm shocked it's come out now. I thought this was all expected and known for the last months. As I said, I have no problem with any player who has gone to the LIV Tour. They have made a choice. There's great money there. It looks like LIV are going to be here for a time and there's room for it. I've always said that. I thought there was room for PGL and I think there's room for them in golf. I'm happy now that the PGA TOUR and the European Tour are starting to focus on themselves and improving what they are offering and I see great pathways for them.

They have to understand that there is a big separation in golf now and an opening. Nobody knew this wasn't coming. I'm shocked that it's actually news a month ago. As regards sanctions and I think most players, European-wise think the sanctions are too light. Most of the players who had an offer on the player or didn't go, my own personal view is, as I said, fair play to them, they have gone and made a choice and they are going to make some great money out there. I personally wouldn't ban them from the majors. I'd let them play and I think it's good to have competition. As you can see their competition has improved, both The European Tour and PGA TOUR. No problem with that. But there definitely has to be a separation. Maybe by ten years' time it might change but right now there has to be a separation of the tours. Everybody expected and everybody thought, and as I said, I'm surprised it's a surprise to anybody.

Q. There seems to be so much friction on a daily basis when it comes to people talking about golf. Are you worried about the future of the sport and what this is doing to it?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: I get very worried, especially here in Ireland. People seem to relate with golf as having done something wrong. There's five players in Ireland who could have had money on the table and didn't go. Like there's 48 players who have gone in total. There's hundreds of players around the game. So the majority of golf hasn't gone but that's only on a moral ground. We are start to thinking -- like why would we judge anybody else's morals? At the end of the day, you come from a different culture, and I know some of these players from different countries, their culture, they don't have any issue. It's just let them at it if they want to do it, and there's great money in it and I certainly would be friends with all the guys who are out there. Don't have an issue. They knew what was coming in terms of sanctions. I definitely don't think it should affect major golf. If anything it should make major golf better.

Q. Former Ryder Cup Captain, Ryder Cup coming to Ireland, are you worried about the future of that tournament?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: I would say it's complicated for The Ryder Cup and I haven't gotten into it and yet and I do need to know what the proposals are. I would not want to see The Ryder Cup weekend and I would not want to see the majors weak end. I don't know what's on the table for The Ryder Cup. I would hope they will come and discuss it with me. I haven't gone to them as of yet.

Q. Would you like the LIV players continue to be able to play in it or captain?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: As I said I haven't gotten into it. I don't want The Ryder Cup in any shape or form damaged. It's such a great event. I think it should be as good as it can be and you know, some rivalries are good. Who knows in, 20 years' time, there will probably be a match between the LIV Tour and the PGA TOUR. In 20 years, you'd be surprised what would happen in time. If there's money to be made, there will be a match.