Pádraig Harrington re-asserts Major credentials

For much of his final round here at Oak Hill Country Club in the 105th edition of the US PGA Championship, there was evidence of Pádraig Harrington — at 51 years of age — dipping back into the past. His ability to make improbable up and downs from rough, for one. His walk. No scary eyes, but the old smile was there.

Harrington signed for a final round 69 for a total of seven-over-par 287 and it was a sign that his work was done all too soon that he walked past Rory McIlroy, yet to start his round, on the putting green en route to the recorder’s tent; and, then, after submitting his scorecard and doing his media duties, none other than 54-hole leader Brooks Koepka was only arriving on the premises.

In another time, that man arriving for the finale late in the day was Harrington. And it could again, don’t rule it out. For, in Harrington’s mind, even with a creaking body, with a dodgy knee and more recently a rib injury, this is where he belongs.

Next week, Harrington moves on to the US Seniors PGA Championship at PGA Frisco in the suburbs of Dallas in Texas but it is these Majors that stir the senses. Next month he will be back with the young bucks in the US Open at Los Angeles Country Club and in July he will be competing in The Open at Royal Liverpool, more chances to showcase that he can still compete on the biggest stages.

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Genuine struggle

As he insisted, “I still see myself as a [main tour] player. I like trying to win tournaments, and that’s why I like being on the Champions Tour. I can play more events on the Champions Tour because I can play in a cart. It is a genuine struggle for me to do 72 holes, walking-wise. I can do it back-to-back-to-back but I wouldn’t be playing 28 events on the PGA Tour, put it like that. I have no problem managing myself [for] a couple of weeks, where I get plenty of physio. I do all that. But it would be a lot to be playing full-time on the PGA Tour, I just couldn’t play that many events.”

As comparing these Majors with those on the Champions Tour, Harrington is unequivocal: “They’re minors. These are Majors. They’re minors. They are very nice to win and I’d be thrilled to win them. They’re like any event. They’re great when you go there and win. It’s exciting, and I feel pressure. There’s no doubt I’d be nervous with a chance to win. But it’s still not a Major. That’s just the way it it is. I’ll be trying my heart out and I will feel anxious and nervous when in contention next Sunday. But, in the greater scheme of things, let’s call it a minor.”

There you have it, from Harrington, still a Major player.