Harrington soars into share of US Senior Open lead at altitude
Padraig Harrington plays his tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the 2025 U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor (East Course) in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Thursday, June 26, 2025. (Logan Whitton/USGA)
Padraig Harrington overcame a lost ball and his lack of course knowledge to soar into a share of the first-round lead in the US Senior Open in Colorado Springs.
The 2022 champion (53) roared out of the blocks with four birdies in his first eight holes at The Broadmoor’s East Course, 1893 metres (6,300 feet) above sea level.
But while he three-putted the ninth and then made a 20-footer for a bogey at the 15th after losing a ball off the tee and sending his second ball into heavy rough, he was happy with a three-under 67 that left him tied for the lead with Australian Mark Hensby.
They were a shot clear of US Senior Open rookies Stewart Cink, Stephen Gallacher and Freddie Jacobson, along with Bob Estes, Thomas Bjorn, Ken Tanigawa and qualifier Matt Gogel.
“Right now, I'm not sure if I'm going to hit five-wood, three-wood or driver off that tee,” Harrington said of the 15th. “That sums up the golf course.”
Padraig Harrington and his caddie as seen on the 12th hole during the first round of the 2025 U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor (East Course) in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Thursday, June 26, 2025. (Logan Whitton/USGA)
He had a chance to take the outright lead at the 18th, but while he spun his approach 10 feet below the hole, his birdie attempt drifted left.
“I got through most of it,” said Harrington, who went out in 32 thanks to birdies at the second, third, sixth and eighth.
“Didn't really create chances on the back nine. I wasn't in trouble very much, only on 15, but obviously there aren't as many birdie chances on that nine…
“We're in at three under. There's a long way to go. I don't think being four under makes any difference to being three under at this stage of the tournament.”
With temperatures varying from morning to afternoon and the altitude making clubbing something of a lottery on a hilly course with severely undulating greens, Harrington will be feeling his way around again today after weather problems led to him playing just seven holes on Tuesday and only 12 on Wednesday.
“Still I've got to play it in the morning tomorrow, which is different than the afternoon,” Harrington said.
“So again, still going to be feeling my way around; not 100 per cent sure.
“To be honest, in the altitude, with the ups and downs, and if the wind swirls at all, I think you're going to have to make decisions as you go all the time this week.
“You couldn't sit in the clubhouse and decide what clubs you're going to hit all day.
“You're going to have to get to the tee box and go, okay, the wind is this way, this is how I feel, I'll take this bunker on, or I'll lay up a bit.”
He knows he’s back in the mix for a senior major after coming close in last month’s Senior PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club until he lost focus and made some costly late mistakes.
“It's a long week,” he said. “If you're a couple behind, you kind of relax and chase. If you're leading the tournament, you kind of stall up. That's just the nature of it.
“One shot on a Thursday. You don't want to be out of the tournament on Thursday, and the stats guys are kind of showing that you need to be always in the top 10.”
Darren Clarke was tied for 33rd after opening with a one-over 71 while Ballymena’s Chris Devlin was joint 91st after three putting six times and mixing seven bogeys with two birdies in a 75
