How Padraig Harrington would revel in the disproving the old adage Bookmakers are never wrong. It would not be wise to utter such sentiment within earshot of the three-times major champion.
Harrington’s opening round of 68, four under par, at the Irish Open left him one shot off the pace set by Ryan Fox. The target for Fox is clear; he is seeking a spot in the Open. “Carnoustie is one of the best courses in the world and I’d love the chance to play there in an Open,” the New Zealander said.
In a country where sports betting is never far removed from general conversation, pre-tournament odds ranging from 60-1 to 80-1 had not been lost on Harrington. It was easy to infer they may even have motivated him.
“There’s not often there’s value in my game,” Harrington, currently ranked 268 in the world, said. “The bookies in Ireland would make sure they cut you to a low price knowing that sentimentally people would back you.
“I was surprised, but to put me out there at 66 to 1 on a links course was strange at their part, in my home country. My performances always go up when it comes to a links course.” A smile followed from the 46-year-old. “Maybe that says I’m even worse than I thought.”
As Harrington set about rewarding his loyal backers, Rory McIlroy’s Open preparations enjoyed a timely boost. In the most fiery of the day one conditions, McIlroy signed for a 70. His scorecard would have been significantly better but for missed opportunities on the greens. “For the most part I felt like I hit good putts, they just didn’t go in,” he said. “I have got to take the positives; that’s as well as I’ve hit the ball in a long time. This is the first time I’ve putted on links greens in a while. They are a lot more subtle than what I’ve been playing on in the US.”
Lee Westwood matched Harrington’s score. The defending champion, Jon Rahm of Spain, returned a disappointing 74, while Graeme McDowell’s 71 included a second nine of 33.
