THE 151ST OPEN

July 21, 2023

Padraig Harrington

Mixed Zone

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I'm pleased, obviously. I played really super golf for probably 13, 14 holes, and I just couldn't get anything out of it. Couldn't hole a putt. Then missed a short putt on 15, which I needed, but then all of a sudden I hole two great putts on 16 and 17 when my back is to the wall, which is exceptionally pleasing.

To hit a great tee shot down 18, just stood there on 18 and it just started raining. I'm on a little downslope and by the time I hit it I had a complete water bottle. I hit it right in the middle of the club face and the thing squirted out low right. I was sure it was out of bounds, and then I chipped it nicely on the green and hit a really nice chip and lagged it up maybe a foot short of what I would have liked, to two and a half feet instead of a foot.

But as I said, a couple -- I played lovely for the first -- all the way through. I hit five great shots at the first to make a bogey, and a lot of my rounds are like that. A lot of good shots, couldn't buy a putt. It was very pleasing to hole the two putts when my back was to the wall on 16 and 17. Old memories in that. Good memories.

Q. That's three majors, three made cuts.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, you know, it's every PGA TOUR event I've played this year. Only cut I missed was that (indiscernible) with the fog and wind in Dubai. That's the only one I missed this year.

Look, I haven't played as well the last couple of weeks now but I've started driving the ball really well, not creating any drama.

Like yesterday, I only hit it in the -- I missed the 4th in the bushes, and I only hit it in the rough once outside of that yesterday.

Today a few more times, but I drove it nicely again. Hit some great drives coming down the stretch, as I said, which really pleases me because the modern game really requires less stress in the game, less drama. You've got to really keep the ball in play a lot, and as I said, I've had a couple of good weeks really driving the ball very nicely.

Q. It's typical that you keep going on every shot, but the par save on 17 --

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, 17 is an awkward hole when you get there. I've got 8-iron in my hand. I'm just probably not convinced as much as I should have been with it, and I just blocked it up into the wind. Looked like I had hit it on the right side of the green, in fairness, and it wasn't my -- certainly it was a save, let's say, put it like that, the shot.

With 8, I knew if I got any draw on it could go long like Talor Gooch. It's a tricky hole, 17, I've got to say. There will be a lot of pressure on the guys coming home.

It's a lovely hole if you're trying to make a 2, and it's a terrible hole if you're trying to make a 3.

Q. What's your take on Brian Harman?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I don't know if it's extraordinary golf; he's a very solid player who hits the ball very tee to green, consistently straight hitter, and he's a lovely putter. He's experienced. He's been in this game a long time. I think you'll find one thing about Brian Harman. I mean this in the best possible way. I would suggest he has the perfect chip on his shoulder. He's a great player but is ignored just because he doesn't fit the mold, doesn't look the part.

I think that chip on the shoulder really drives him. I think he's a very determined, gritty person who wants to really prove himself because, as I said, he probably doesn't get -- for how he performs, he wouldn't get the credit. That's the way it is.

Q. What are you looking for out of yourself over the weekend?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, look, more of the same, tee to green golf and just get on a run with the putter. Hole a few putts.

I think if I can -- kind of the way I feel is you look around -- I'm not hitting bad putts, and maybe don't have perfect reads. I'm not quite sure, but they're just not dropping the right way at the right time. I'm just trying to be patient and wait for a good run to happen.

So yeah, I'm looking for two low ones at the weekend. I've got to go out there and play the best golf I can on the weekend, and as I said, if I can hole some putts -- gives me some confidence holing the two putts on 16 and 17 for sure.

Q. Were the bunkers okay today?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, they changed them. They have flat raked the bunkers for a long time at Open Championships, so where it would have been very obvious, if you go and play the Dunhill and the Road Hole bunker is pretty easy at the Dunhill and yet it's savagely difficult at The Open because they flat rake it.

The problem here is the bunkers are very small, so even if it pitches in it it's going to move, so it runs into it, it hits something and it's not coming back off the faces. It's getting stuck. They're just small bunkers here. I've got to say I thought the setup was fabulous yesterday. It was tougher today with a bit of breeze this afternoon, but probably I think the golf course is strong enough that they can -- the change they made today was right. The bunkers are still severe without them being absolute penalties.

Every fairway bunker is a chip out. A lot of the greenside bunkers now with the change you can get out of them but you're not necessarily getting up-and-down. They're still not a great place to be.

Q. They're supposed to be penal, after all.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: Yeah, but flat raking them when they're so small, it does make them very treacherous.

Q. Did you hole a putt on 16?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON: I holed the putt, about 25 feet. It still was penal. It just wasn't that you had to come outside of it.