Padraig Daring to dream
TOURNAMENT NEWS 18.07.17 Padraig Harrington returns to the scene of his "dream" Open Championship win this week full of confidence that he can lift the Claret Jug for the third time. The Irishman double-bogeyed the last at Carnoustie in 2007 before going on to beat Sergio Garcia in a play-off but claimed the title in much more style 12 months later, eagling the 17th to help successfully defend his crown. After an injury-plagued season, Harrington would have been a rank outsider to triumph this week just months ago but an upturn in fortunes means he arrives on Merseyside in full belief he can win again. "I turned a good corner in my golf a year ago, started playing really nice and I got injured at the Olympics and I've had struggles from then. "But it's a year ago that my form, my attitude, everything about me, my golf had changed. I could see that change.Harrington daring to dream again at 146th Open Championship
Bring me to a links golf course, no doubt about it, it gives me an advantage
"I wasn't sure where it would be but I knew that if I could be healthy and face that, I'm certainly on top of things. I had nothing to worry about in terms of what I'm doing with my game. I needed to get on the golf course just to play. I knew my attitude was good.
"I'm starting in a good place. I was confident coming in, getting a few rounds under my belt, I'll be back to where I need to be.
"I will always go back to the Shane Lowry quote: "I think I'm going to win the week I'm not playing." So clearly I think I'm a credible contender on any golf course but bring me to a links golf course, no doubt about it, it gives me an advantage.
"The way I did it in 2008 is how you would you dream of winning a Major as a 15 year old kid. Everything went right. I did everything nice and beautiful, swung the club well, last group, all the little things.
"The way I won at Carnoustie, I don't think as a 15 year old you're going to dream of double-bogeying the last with a one-shot lead as your dream way of winning the Open.
"To believe that there's a certain perfection to winning is very naive. It's very rare that it's beautiful and perfect. It's normally a little bit ragged and you just have to make the most of it.
"It's dreaming, fairy tale stuff to think it should go that way, but it did in 2008 for me."
Harrington's win in 2007 sparked an incredible run of success for Ireland in the Open Championship with victories for Northern Irishmen Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy meaning the island produced four winners in eight years.
Irish players tend to be au fait with links conditions and Harrington would not be surprised to see another Irish winner on Sunday.
"I think we're all well established in playing links golf," he said "We've all played our formative years on links golf courses and understand it. So you can never write off any of the Irish guys when it comes to it."
