Harrington blames over-confidence for devastating Senior PGA loss

Pádraig Harrington. Picture: PGA of America

Padraig Harrington was devastated to lose the Senior PGA and blamed the “over-confidence” that cost him the Irish Youths 35 years ago for the late double-bogey that lost him the title.

Seven-under-par “doing handstands” after 14 holes and two shots clear of eventual champion Angel Cabrera, the Dubliner (53) hooked a five-wood into heavy rough at the 15th and made a double bogey six that proved fatal.

“I got off to a good start,” Harrington said as he watched Cabrera three-putt the last and still win by a shot from him and Thomas Bjorn on eight-under. 

“Kept my head down. Like seven-under through 14, I could have been more, doing handstands.

“You know, I've had a lifelong problem with getting confident and cocky, and I did on the 15th tee box; it was such a simple tee shot. 

“Five-wood, a little draw down there, and I just totally didn't get into it enough and then panicked at the last moment and hit a big hook.

“It's always plagued me my whole life since I've been a kid. Just get overconfident and just don't. I'd be much better off if I got to the 15th hole and there was water everywhere. 

“Probably would've done a better job. Sometimes, it just follows me around. I can get overconfident.”

Harrington had outside birdie chances on the last three greens but ended up three-putting the 18th for bogey and a 68 after missing a three-foot return putt.

“Didn't see that break at all,” he said of his approach putt. “You know, obviously I missed a putt back up the hill. We are on the Champions TOUR. That's all I'll say about that.”

What galled him was the drive on the 15th, which reminded him how he lost the 1990 Irish Youths at Dundalk.

“I lost a tournament when I was 18 years of age back -- what was it called, the Irish Youths and I did the exact same thing,” Harrington recalled. 

“Two ahead with three to play and relaxed. I'm much better off with nerves and tension.

“I was just relaxed on 15, and then I did it on 18 tee, 72nd hole at Carnoustie (in the 2007 Open). I couldn't see myself hitting a bad -- that was the exact same. Stood there so confident, and at the last moment I had a little bit of doubt.

“If you start off with doubt, when you feel doubt over the ball, it doesn't feel so bad. If you start off confident, then you feel doubt. It's like a blowup. So, yeah, so I was just too confident. Happens.”

He managed to regroup to win that Open, but seeing off Sergio Garcia in the playoff was a struggle.

“Yeah, you know, like when I went to the playoff, I was at a two-shot lead playing the fourth playoff hole at Carnoustie,” he said. 

“All I kept telling myself walking from the 17th to the 18th because I'd done it again for the eight-footer for birdie on the third playoff hole. Lost all the intensity.

“I kept telling myself I could still lose. I'm the only person that has to walk onto the tee, and I'm trying to get myself going by saying it's not over.

“Whereas I think on 15 I am relaxed and thinking, you know -- not that you think it's over, but I just rushed into the shot and it was just -- didn't give it its due respect.”

Cabrera played the 18th with a two-shot lead, and his three-putt bogey only added to the watching Harrington’s frustration.

“I'd just really like him to two-putt, and he's not,” he said as he watched Cabrera misjudge his first putt. “Oh, God.” 

“Yeah, look, I'm disappointed now. Yeah, could be a lot more disappointing if he doesn't hole that.”