PGA Irish Championship:Pádraig Harrington completed the first part of ridding himself of the shackles of five missed cuts in a row by playing his way into contention after the opening day of the Ladbrokes.com PGA Irish Championship at The European Club where he trails overnight leader Leslie Walker by just one shot.
The defending PGA champion has made it his priority in the last couple of years to compete in his national championship, not only to win the event, but also as a precursor to bigger and better things at the British Open.
And who could doubt his methods for he has won at The European Club the last two years - testing himself on one of the toughest links of all – before going on to lift the Claret Jug twice, first at Carnoustie in 2007 and last year he successfully defended in style at Royal Birkdale.
This time around preparations for the third major of the season have not been smooth as the 37-year-old has endured a worrying loss of form, the worst run coming with five successive missed cuts on the main tours
in the lead up to this event.
A return to winning ways in Brittas Bay might just be the fillip he needs heading to Turnberry for next week’s British Open defence.
Today’s round was the model of consistency as the world number 12 took advantage of the relatively calm conditions to card an opening three-under 68 to be one shot behind Walker after the Dundalk pro carded 67.
Harrington made early birdies at the par three second and added another at the long par five third to reach the turn in two-under 33. From there further birdies came at the 11th and 14th, and at that point the Dubliner had moved into the lead.
However his only dropped shot of the day came with a bogey five at the difficult 17th as he had to settle for a 68.
Walker on the other hand played flawless golf with two birdies on each nine – first, third, 13th and 17th – to assume the overnight lead.
For much of the day Seamus McMonagle had set the clubhouse target after his early round of 69. At two-under he holds third on his own behind Walker and Harrington.
A group of six players are next on one-under, including former British Amateur champion Brian McElhinney, Tim Rice, Damian Mooney, Gavin Lunny, Richard Kilpatrick and Glen Robinson.
David Higgins didn’t have the score he was looking for after yesterday booking his place at the British Open by coming through local final qualifying in Ayrshire. The Waterville pro shot 76 to just be inside the top 30 at the Wicklow venue.
Ladbrokes.com PGA Irish Championship at The European Club
First Round (Par 71):
67– L Walker (Dundalk),
68– P Harrington (Unattached),
69– S McMonagle (Unattached),
70- T Rice (Unattached), G Lunny (Naas), D Mooney (Unattached), R Kirkpatrick (Banbridge), B McElhinney (Team Ireland), G Robinson St Helen's Bay),
71– P O'Rourke (Green 18), P Martin (Riverside Academy),
73- M Collins (www.foreireland.com), E Tracey (Ballina),
72– B McGovern (Headfort),
74– D Mortimer (www.foreireland.com), J Heggarty (Claremorris ), D McWilliams (Unattached), B Trainor (Unattached), T Mulally (Moyvalley),
75– G Howie (Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort), J McDermott (Dun Laoghaire), I Kerr (Bunclody), D O'Sullivan (Club La Playa), J Kelly (St Margaret's), C McNamara (Unattached), T Higgins (www.foreisland.com), S Young (Foyle Golf Centre), S Thornton (Royal Co Down),
76– N Howley (Balbriggan), M Staunton (www.foreireland.com), M Allan (Pure Golf), L Bowler (Wexford), M Mulryan (Athenry), D Higgins (Waterville), J Murray (Malahide), R Giles (Greenore), J Scullion (Royal Co Down), J Bolger (Kilkenny), M McTernan (Co Sligo), W O'Callaghan (www.wayneocallaghangolf.com), C Mallon (Narin & Portnoo),
77– D Gleeson (McGuirk's Golf), M Ward (P&M Golf Superstore), P O'Boyle (Bandon), J Dwyer (Ashbourne), J Dignam (Slade Valley), E Brady (Clontarf), D Ryan (Cahir Pk),
78– R Brady (Headfort), D McNamara (Portmarnock), L Naughton (Unattached), G Egan (Naas), J Langan (Leopardstown Golf Centre), O Grogan (Moate), S Taylor (The Island), G Wardlow (Dunmurry), P Jones (Coollattin), G Cuillen (Beaverstown), P O'Hagan (PM Corporate Events),
79- R Daly (Newlands), B Hamill (BH Academy), K McGrath (Birr), G Loughrey (Roganstown), P Walton (Unattached), E McLoughlin (Wicklow), S O'Grady (Black Bush),
80– P Graham (Galgorm Castle), P McCanny (Birr Golf Shop & DR), C Carroll (bray), S Fitzpatrick (Enniscorthy), K McGivern (Kelly's Golf Centre), P Dooley (Cork), M O'Shea (Callan), Marian Riordan (Greystones), J Sugrue (Tralee), F Howley (Carton House), DP Jones (Unattached),
81– R Hutton (Downpatrick), S Clinton (Portsalon), S Hoey (Waterford Castle), J Geraghty (Unattached), M Sludds (Unattached),
82– L Harrington (Limerick), G Burke (Curragh), P Collins (Galgorm Castle), C Jelly (Banbridge), D Walker (Foxrock),
83– D Carroll (Seapoint), I St John (Nenagh), G Kavanagh (Delgany), C McVitty (Bundoran),
84– R Donagher (Ardee), L Owens (Killiney), R Whitford (Knock), K Foy (Stepaside), J Foster (Greeacres),
85– S Madden (Limerick), G Massey (PGA National), M Twitchett (Hilton), I Kearney (Doonbeg),
86– RD Kelly (Tipperary), L Hynes (Ballinstoe), B Kerley (Greenlife),
87– McGuirk's Golf), G Dunlea (Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort),
88– T McIntyre (Ballyclare), P Vaughan (Ardglass), D O'donoghue (Newlands),
89- B Cosgrove (Athy), J Kane-Nash (GTreystones),
90– R Jackson (Unattached),
92– G Byrne (PGA National),
93– P McGuirk (Co Louth),
96– K O'neill (Co Sligo),
97– P Ring (Elm Green),
NR– M Heinemann (Skellig Bay), F Dwyer (Celbridge DR), J Greenaway (Banbridge), B O'Brien (Castlewarden),
