Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Padraig Harrington chasing more major title glory after rediscovering his mental edge

Padraig Harrington believes his senior tour exploits have put him back in the running for more majors.

Harrington, 51, played 33 tournaments last year, won the US Senior Open and finished second in the senior tour order of merit.

Getting back into contention has sharpened the Dubliner's mental game and, after a top 10 on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and senior tour already this year, he believes he can win anywhere he now tees up.

READ MORE: Padraig Harrington tells Rory McIlroy he will win a Masters when the heat is off

Harrington returns to the senior tour this week at the Insperity Invitational in Houston, Texas ahead of The Tradition (a senior tour major), the US PGA at Oak Hill and the Seniors PGA.

Harrington then returns home before another trip across the Atlantic to compete in the US Open before staging defences of his Dick's Sporting Goods and US Senior Open titles.

The Open at Hoylake also awaits in July.

"I always believed I had a chance of winning them, but I believe I have a chance of winning one without having a big week," explained Harrington.

“I don't think I have to do anything special to win one. I think if I play my game, I can win one. I'm getting very comfortable with my game at the moment, and yeah, the physicality isn't going to be a problem.

"The mental side is always going to be a challenge at the Majors, and that's where my head is at the moment. It's getting that right and I'm seeing very good things in it.

"Last year, I thought I could win one and I kind of panicked in all three majors and pushed myself a little. I'm much more comfortable with who I am at the moment in golfing terms.

"I'm not going to play a lot of regular events, which is a little bit awkward, so I'm not 100pc sure how going in from a Champions Tour event to the PGA and a Champions Tour event to the US Open is going to go.

"I get to play the Scottish Open before the Open, so I'll probably be more prepared.

"It's awkward going to a Major when you haven't seen the field and the support staff the week before because you're meeting people you haven't seen in a number of weeks.

"It's easier to play a major off the back of a couple of events just because it ends up being the same faces as last week, and you just get on with it."

Harrington, who was speaking at the opening of the Marlay Putting Green, admitted that he was really enjoying his golf after turning things around mentally.

"I’m getting sharper and sharper, like really sharp," he confided. "I fully believe I can win on any tour, any event, and I don’t think I have to get lucky to do it.

“I’m not hoping to win, I believe I can win, so let's hope that what I believe is true but physically I am pretty damn good and mentally I seem to be better than ever.

"I played nine out of 11 weeks and I would love to have been in the Masters. I wasn’t in it, so fine.

"I'm focused now, I have done three heavy weeks of work now trying to change something in my swing a little, I don’t know if it will make me any better but it is better for my golf swing, who knows where that leads to?

"But I really know it is all mental now. I am good enough physically. I turned my putting around from the horrors of a few years ago. It is a real mental game for me now.

"Physically I am well capable. Even a 72 hole tournament is tough for me, my right knee doesn’t like it, but I can do 72 holes, I can manage it, and it just means I have to manage the week better.

"So when I go to any of these Majors or 72 hole events, I am playing 9 holes twice before I go into it. It is no longer playing 54 holes practice to play the tournament.

"I'm looking at a long week to start off with and I am looking at Sunday to prepare for rather than a Thursday."

There was a stage when it looked as if Harrington's career might be winding down but right now it is far from the case.

“No, I had a look at that five years ago when I was a bit burnt out. I had a look at the coaching," he admitted. "Paddy’s Golf Tips is still going and I love doing that.

"I did a bit of commentary and I like doing that too but kind of realised that I really like golf and if I can get rid of some of the stuff that was getting in the way then maybe I could like my golf again and that’s kind of what I have done.

"I enjoy my life a lot more on tour. I do a lot of practice at home because I like that but I don’t do as much at the tournament.

"Having the knee injury has helped. I just can’t do as much so I am enjoying my life on tour. I’m focused on enjoying myself and that’s helped my golf, rather than trying to play golf to enjoy myself."

READ NEXT:

Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.