Staff WriterPádraig Harrington has gone and done it again—etched his name into yet another page of golfing folklore by becoming just the fifth man in history to win both The Open and the Senior Open Championship.
With a performance as smooth as a pint of Guinness at sunset, the Dubliner wrapped up his second Senior Major of the season at the glorious Sunningdale Golf Club, adding yet another trophy to his bulging cabinet.
This was no walk in the park—or rather, walk in the heather. Harrington, now 53 and still swinging like a prizefighter in his prime, finished three shots clear of fellow Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn and 1997 Champion Golfer of the Year Justin Leonard. That’s not exactly a soft Sunday knockabout pairing.
“It’s special to win any tournament, but this one means a lot,” Harrington might as well have said, had he not let his clubs do all the talking.
The Irishman’s victory at the Senior Open Championship adds a third Senior Major to his résumé—already weighted with two Open titles from 2007 and 2008—and places him in rarefied air with Bob Charles, Darren Clarke, Gary Player, and Tom Watson as the only men to have lifted both the Claret Jug and the Senior Open Trophy. Not bad company if you enjoy sitting at the top table of golf history.
Starting Sunday with a two-shot lead over Leonard, Harrington wasted no time putting distance between himself and the chasing pack.
He eagled the first hole with the sort of swagger that says, “I’ve done this before—and I’ll do it again.” Birdies at the 6th and 9th holes stretched the lead to four.
It looked like plain sailing until Bjørn, channelling Viking spirit, mounted a birdie-fuelled assault with four in six holes to pull within two.
But just as the Dane looked like making a game of it, the 16th arrived bearing a bogey and a reality check. Harrington, ever the tactician, dropped a shot on 17 but arrived at the 18th tee still with a comfortable cushion.
Leonard, bless him, played steady golf to post a 68 for 13 under, but never quite caught fire. Harrington, meanwhile, delivered a closing 67 to finish on 16 under par for the week, claiming his 11th title since stepping into the over-50s playground.
Not to be overlooked, Aussie Scott Hend finished fourth at 12 under, while the ever-smooth Ernie Els and compatriot Cameron Percy tied for fifth on 11 under. But this week was about Harrington—his grit, his grace, and that stubborn refusal to go quietly into retirement.
And it wasn’t just birdies that brought joy. Thanks to a pledge from ISPS HANDA and The R&A, every birdie made on the 13th hole resulted in a charitable donation to life-changing causes in Cambodia.
Originally set at $750 per birdie, the figure was bumped to $2,000 for the final round. In total, 49 birdies were made, resulting in a $48,000 haul—topped up generously to a round $50,000.
So, Harrington walks away with another Senior Major, a new notch in golfing history, and the satisfaction of watching good golf turn into good deeds.
Not bad for a lad from Dublin who still putts like he’s chasing a check on Sunday afternoon.
The only thing senior about Harrington right now is the category he plays in. The hunger? As fierce as ever.
