THE SENIOR OPEN PRESENTED BY ROLEX

July 24, 2024

Padraig Harrington

Carnoustie Golf Links

Press Conference

Q. We'll start with the obvious. How does it feel to be back here in a place that you know so well from 2007?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: I really do note golf course. I played a few Opens here, not just the winning one. I've played a lot of Dunhills. I'm very familiar with the golf course. Doesn't mean it gets any easier. You know, this is obviously one of the toughest courses that we play in The Open rota, and you know, it's set up well this year. The rough is nice and high, and certainly in places you really do want to be on your game playing well.

It's always the same with Carnoustie. It gives you nothing.

Q. It does have a reputation, that's for sure. Do you think it's changed much over the years since obviously you last played here?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: I don't think the course has changed much but maybe we as players have changed a bit. I think the way the game is played is a more aggressive game now, which is interesting because I've done well here by being very conservative and being very cautious. So you know, that is an interesting change you'll see in modern golf. People just take a chance and go for it. Maybe the senior level here on a tough golf course, I would think I'd probably be a bit more patient than I would at a regular event and the biggest key is to avoid the bunkers out there, the fairway bunkers. Yeah, I'll probably be quite conservative and see how that goes, and if it doesn't go so well, and I have to attack later in the week, that's what I'll do.

Q. Coming off a fairly good result last week at Troon. How do you feel the game is at the moment?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: Nicely put, yeah, it was fairly good. It was a solid week. You know, I was 10th in strokes gained tee-to-green last week and I was 72nd in putting. So I have been putting well. Sometimes when you're finishing down there in the putting, you're trying to pull everything apart but no, my putting is fine. I just didn't hole the putts last week.

I'm excited about where it is and where I'm going with my game. Doesn't mean it falls into place this week but I have some confidence going into the rest of the summer.

Q. You've had two good cracks at this tournament with those runner-up finishes, especially last year. Do you feel like it's a little bit maybe redemption this week to get over what happened last year in that playoff?

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON: No. Not redemption. It doesn't work like that. This is the great thing about golf. The game gives you nothing in that sense. Doesn't matter what you've done in the past. You have to turn up and play 72 holes and finish it out. You know, you can be leading after day one, day two, day three. You can be ten shots ahead. Nobody gives you the trophy on Saturday evening and you've got to play all 72 holes and you've got to earn it.

You know, so I'm not -- last year's performance or the year before doesn't have any bearing on this one. Just have to get out there -- and especially on this golf course, Carnoustie. As much as I've won The Open here, it's not like having won The Open, they give me a one-shot start or something like that. This course, there's nothing about it that would make you sleep easy at night.