Berkshire, England – Padraig Harrington was so focused on his game that he didn’t notice the leaderboard or see Rory McIlroy walking through the gallery at the British Open on Sunday. He closed at a 3-under 67 and won his second senior major of the year.
Harrington bet on a two-shot lead and made the Eagle on the first hole on an old course in Sunningdale.
He won by three shots with Thomas Bjorn (67) and Justin Leonard (68).
“I’m excited to win, but I’m very pleased with winning the Senior Open in two openings,” Harrington said. “The fact that we’ve only done five people before is very special. I’m proud to have survived so long in the game.”
He joined Darren Clark, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Bob Charles as players who won the British Open and senior version.
McIlroy walked around the London area course a bit, but it wasn’t that much of a show. Harrington seized control later in the third round, giving no chances to anyone.
Bjørn made a slow charge to get within two shots, but that ended with a bogey on the 16th.
“I saw the leaderboard at 18,” Harrington said. “It was completely focused on what I was doing.”
The Irish were surprised to hear that McIlroy, who is building a house in London, was in Sunningdale for the final round.
“I didn’t see him there. Was he there?” Harrington said. “I bowed my head all day. No one had seen it. I had no idea.”
Harrington currently has 11 titles as PGA Tour Champion, winning each of the past four seasons multiple times. He won the US Senior Open at Broadmoor last month. And he almost won the Senior PGA Championship in Congress, with a swing in the second half of the two-shot winning the title to Angel Cabrera.
