Harrington looking to 'free up' at Gleneagles

Scott Percy. Picture: Getty

Pádraig Harrington believes he can retain the ISPS HANDA Senior Open if he can “free up” and banish fear of the heavy rough that makes him “cautious and intimidated”.

The Dubliner (54) made three birdies and three bogeys in a level par 70 on the King’s Course at Gleneagles and admitted that worrying about the danger is hindering his chances.

“Obviously not my best day but you know, it's that sort of golf course out there,” said Harrington, who turned in one under but bogeyed the 10th following a ricochet off a camera into heavy rough, then dropped another shot at the 12th after a bad drive before finishing with a birdie four.

“You can get a bit cautious and intimidated. There's lots of trouble. Look, I'm a long way back at the moment, but there are 54 holes, so If I free up a little bit, maybe I'll catch up.

“You can really find some trouble. I think it's out there. I think if I didn't worry about it I'd be better off.

“If I do free up and not worry about it, I'd be a lot better off, but that's always the battle when you're playing golf. If you have a clear mind, you'd be the best player in the world.”

Harrington was joint 45th, seven shots behind Australian Cameron Percy, who shot a 63 to lead by a shot from France’s Lionel Alexandre.

But it was also a great day for Paul McGinley (59), who mixed seven birdies with three bogeys and a double bogey in a 68 to share 23rd in just his second start this year as Darren Clarke’s 71 left him 64th.

“Obviously made some mistakes which I'm not happy about,” said McGinley, who captained a winning Ryder Cup team at the resort in 2014. “My card is like a Christmas tree with different colours on it. A lot of good golf in there. I played well.

“The golf course is suiting me because I can chase it and there's a bit of run in the fairways, and course management was pretty good. And I really enjoyed it.

“I love coming up to this place. Obviously it's got good memories for me and good vibes.”

At the PGA TOUR’s 3M Open in Minnesota, world number one Scottie Scheffler opened with a six-under 65 to share fifth place, three shots behind Ben Kohles at TPC Twin Cities.

At the LPGA Tour and LET co-sanctioned ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, Leona Maguire opened with a level par 72 that left her six shots off the lead.

The Co Cavan star was three under after five holes before four dropped shots in the middle of her round forced her to birdie the par-five closing hole to make par.

She was tied for 14th, six shots behind Korea’s Jenny Shin and American Lauren Coughlin, who shot a six-under 66 to lead by a shot from A Lim Kim.

Lauren Walsh had four three-putts in a seven-over 79 as Anna Foster had three of her own in an 84.

It was also a tough day for the Irish in the Hotel Planner Tour’s Raiffeisenbank Golf Challenge in the Czech Republic.

While Max Kennedy’s four-under 67 at Kaskáda Golf Resort in Brno left him tied for fourth, four strokes behind Mathieu Decottignies-Lafon, the other seven Irishmen in action shot over par.

Mark Power was 59th after a 72 while Conor Purcell (73), Robert Brazill and John Murphy (74), Gary Hurley (75), James Sugrue (77) and Liam Nolan (81) all struggled.