'It's not impossible' - Harrington can become oldest winner
Pádraig Harrington.
Pádraig Harrington is hoping his amateur partner will take his mind off his bid to become the oldest winner on the DP World Tour at the 25th anniversary Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Winner of the title in 2002 and 2006, the Dubliner (56) insists it’s not “impossible” that he can overtake Miguel Angel Jimenez, who won the 2014 Open de Espana aged 50 years and 133 days.
“It would be a big deal,” said Harrington, who also won the Pro-Am with JP McManus in 2002 and 2006. “I'm at that age that to win a regular tournament would be something special.
“I think I'd be the oldest guy in Europe to win at this stage. It's a hard ask. It's not impossible.”
The three-time Major champion partners JP McManus’ son Kieran, who is seeking his fourth Team Championship win since 2009.
“I think I tend to try a little too hard when I turn up to regular events,” said Harrington, who begins his quest at Carnoustie before taking on Kingsbarns and a revamped Old Course at St Andrews.
“But maybe Dunhill is the right one for me in the sense that playing with an amateur will help me relax during the week, focus on different things, chill out and enjoy it more, and that might be what it takes for me to get the best out of my golf.”
Robert MacIntyre defends his title while Matt Fitzpatrick is seeking back-to-back DP World Tour wins and his second Alfred Dunhill win.
Shane Lowry and Tom McKibbin are taking the week off before next week’s Open de España, but Séamus Power is looking to continue his rise in the FedEx Cup Fall standings at the $6 million Bank of Utah Championship.
The West Waterford man (39) tied for seventh at the Biltmore Championship to move up to 104th in the standings with the top 100 earning full PGA Tour cards for 2027.
His goal is to add a third PGA Tour win to his resumé before Christmas, but he faces a tough challenge at Black Desert Resort, where 24 of the world’s top 100 tee it up, including defending champion Michael Brennan and rookie sensations Ben James and Jackson Koivun.
Koivun (21) impressed in last week’s Presidents Cup at Medinah, while James (23) has racked up three top-four finishes in his last five starts
"I've known Michael for a long time,” said Power. “Aaron O'Callaghan coached him at Wake Forest and jeez, unbelievable talent. That ball speed is incredible."
Koivun was a star for the USA in Chicago having held off world number one Scottie Scheffler to win July’s 3M Open in just his third pro start.
”It's one thing to win, but another thing with Scottie Scheffler trying to chase you down and you don't even blink an eyelid,” Power said. "The most amazing thing with those young guys is not that they're physically ready. They're just mentally ready.”
Solheim Cup star Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow join Lauren Walsh in the LPGA’s LOTTE Championship at Hoakalei Country Club in Hawaii.
Maguire missed her 12th cut this year in last week’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, where Walsh tied for 56th but Meadow also missed the weekend.
Meanwhile, Galway’s Liam Nolan opened with a four-under 66 to trail Australia’s Coby Carruthers by four shots in the Abu Dhabi Challenge.
Ranked 43rd in the points list, he was tied for 13th as Caurtthers’ bogey-free round gave him a one-shot lead over Belgian James Meyer de Beco.
Conor Purcell, 155th in the standings, shot 68 to sit just inside the cut mark, while 73rd-ranked Mark Power, who needs to move into the top 70 in the rankings to qualify for the next two events in China, was 65th after a 69.
