Harrington clinches third US Senior Open with brilliant putting week at Scioto
Pádraig Harrington produced one of the greatest putting displays of his career to claim his third US Senior Open in five years with a “boring” four-stroke victory at Scioto Country Club in Ohio.
The Dubliner, who turns 55 next month, came from a shot behind Stewart Cink by carding a best-of-the-day, four-under 66 to win by four strokes from the 2009 Open champion on 12-under-par.
He also made history by becoming just the second man since Miller Barber in 1985 to win the Francis Ouimet Trophy three times.
"It feels great, but obviously there wasn't the drama that I know we normally provide down the stretch,” Harrington said after a brilliant display of tactical golf and 72 holes without an official three-putt.
“That doesn't mean that I wasn't feeling it. I was really trying to stay in it, stay focused. I knew I had a nice lead, which let me play to the middle of the greens.”
He added: “It's very rare for me to win a tournament where it's actually boring coming down the stretch. I'm sorry for the TV viewers. Normally, I have to win the tournament twice, not just once.”
Trailing Cink by a shot overnight, Harrington rolled in an 11-footer for birdie at the first to draw level and went on to forge a four-shot lead over Cink and George NcNeill by the turn as he birdied the second and followed a bogey at the fifth with birdies at the sixth and, crucially, the eighth to turn in 32.
“I know that people would not believe this, but I don't think I've ever won a tournament by putting,” Harrington said. “This one, I did. I putted lights out all week.
“I've been telling everybody I'm putting great; I've been saying it for six weeks, but I delivered this week.”
His 25-footer at the eighth for the only birdie of the day there proved key.
“I won't say it was over from there on in, but it gave me a great platform to close it out.”
He extended his advantage to five strokes with another birdie at the 11th and played for the centre of the greens coming home to win with ease from Cink and clinch another US Open start at Pebble Beach next year.
He was also proud to break out of a tie with Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Allen Doyle, Kenny Perry and Bernhard Langer and join Barber as a three-time champion.
“I like where you're going with that,” he grinned. “No one has won more Senior Opens than me, which, considering the people who would have played it over the years, is a nice stat to put on my CV.”
Darren Clarke (57) was left to rue a triple bogey seven at the eighth as he tied for eighth on three under after a final-round 70 while Ballymena’s Chris Devlin (51) shot 71 to finish tied for 17th on level par.
In Munich, South African rookie Michael Hollick (39) produced a sensational birdie-eagle finish to pip compatriot Hennie du Plessis by a shot to capture the BMW International Open and his maiden DP World Tour win.
Tied for the lead with Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger overnight, Hollick was two shots behind Du Plessis after a bogey at the 16th but hit a brilliant five-iron to six feet at the 218-yard 17th and rolled in the putt to get within a shot of his compatriot.
Du Plessis could only make par at the last to shoot a best-of-the-day 66 and set the target at 17-under and took advantage, ripping a five-iron to 20 feet before rolling in the eagle putt to win.
“It's amazing, honestly,” Hollick said. “I've just given myself and my family such a good opportunity, so really looking forward to it.
“Four years ago, I put the clubs in the cupboard and started coaching, did a full year of coaching full-time and played like ten events on the Sunshine Tour, played quite well but didn't get into any of the big events.
“Then started 2024 by winning the Zimbabwe Open and started finding my feet again, won another two tournaments, and then started the season nicely here.
“The first year is tough; it's all the unknown. You're playing your heart out to keep your card and give yourself a chance next year, but here we are.”
The five spots in the 154th Open Championship for the leading non-exempt players in the Race to Dubai went to Du Plessis, Wiesberger, Jayden Schaper and English duo Andy Sullivan and Dan Bradbury.
At the Hulencourt Women’s Open in Belgium, Anna Foster was left to rue two sixes on the back nine as she closed with a one-over 73, finishing tied for 12th on one-under.
Spanish rookie Carolina Chacarra (23), a sister of three-time DP World Tour winner Eugenio, shot an impressive bogey-free 68 to win by three shots from Australia’s Kelsey Bennett on 12-under.
On the HotelPlanner Tour, France’s Julien Sale (68) won the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge by a shot from Denmark’s Hamish Brown (68) on 12 under.
Conor Purcell was 35th on three under after a 69, while Ronan Mullarney and Liam Nolan shot rounds of 76 to finish level par and five over, respectively.
