PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON ADMITTED to being surprised by the wave of emotion that rose within him as he hit the first tee shot of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Two-time champion Harrington – the last man to successfully defend the Claret Jug – was handed the honour of officially starting the championship at 6.35am on Thursday morning, yesterday saying he was very nervous at its prospect. But this morning he striped a 3-iron down the fairway, on his way to an opening birdie. It was to be the highlight of his round: Harrington three-putted thrice on the front nine and lost his tee shot on 10 to sign for a four-over round of 75.
“I hyped up the tee shot as much as I could so when I got there today, it wasn’t too bad”, said Harrington. “I was decently comfortable when I got on the tee. Obviously didn’t try for too much, hit a nice smooth 3-iron down there, held the pose a little bit.
“I got a little emotional when I was clapped on, and then I calmed down, and I was fine when I was hitting it.
“I wouldn’t say I get too emotional, not like that, no. It felt like they were there for me, giving me a clap. I expected the nerves; I didn’t expect that. So I did have to adjust myself for that.
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“It was very special, I’ve got to say. It’s a great honour to do it. I really hate the idea of being ceremonial, but I was prepared to take that to do it because it was here. I’m glad I did.”
But once he walked off the first, Harrington struggled on the greens, with his round marred by too many putts.
“I just couldn’t read the greens, you’re second guessing yourself all day, especially second-guessing the pace as well”, he said. “I didn’t hit a bad putt today, put it like that, and yet I didn’t hit a good one either, did I?”
There was almost as much noise for Harrington’s playing partner, 22-year-old Tom McKibbin, from McIlroy’s Holywood club an hour down the road. Though he made bogey on the first hole and was two-over through four holes, McKibbin bounced back with a 17-foot eagle putt on seven and another birdie on nine, in spite of going into the right rough off the tee.
He slid back with a double bogey on 11 after his tee shot went way right into gorse – from which he duffed his first chip attempt back out to the fairway – and though he bounced back with an instant birdie, he would finish with two further bogeys to card a one-over 72.
“A little bit of everything in there”, said McKibbin. “A little bit of a good, a little bit of bad; not great, but not bad. Overall not too annoyed but not happy.
“It was tricky. Some of the pin positions are really good. They’re just over just slopes. I played here so many times, and you would never even think of seeing pins where they are. It played pretty tricky.”
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'I expected the nerves, but I didn't expect that' - Harrington emotional as he officially gets Open underway
LAST UPDATE | 17 Jul 2025
PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON ADMITTED to being surprised by the wave of emotion that rose within him as he hit the first tee shot of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Two-time champion Harrington – the last man to successfully defend the Claret Jug – was handed the honour of officially starting the championship at 6.35am on Thursday morning, yesterday saying he was very nervous at its prospect. But this morning he striped a 3-iron down the fairway, on his way to an opening birdie. It was to be the highlight of his round: Harrington three-putted thrice on the front nine and lost his tee shot on 10 to sign for a four-over round of 75.
“I hyped up the tee shot as much as I could so when I got there today, it wasn’t too bad”, said Harrington. “I was decently comfortable when I got on the tee. Obviously didn’t try for too much, hit a nice smooth 3-iron down there, held the pose a little bit.
“I got a little emotional when I was clapped on, and then I calmed down, and I was fine when I was hitting it.
“I wouldn’t say I get too emotional, not like that, no. It felt like they were there for me, giving me a clap. I expected the nerves; I didn’t expect that. So I did have to adjust myself for that.
“It was very special, I’ve got to say. It’s a great honour to do it. I really hate the idea of being ceremonial, but I was prepared to take that to do it because it was here. I’m glad I did.”
But once he walked off the first, Harrington struggled on the greens, with his round marred by too many putts.
“I just couldn’t read the greens, you’re second guessing yourself all day, especially second-guessing the pace as well”, he said. “I didn’t hit a bad putt today, put it like that, and yet I didn’t hit a good one either, did I?”
There was almost as much noise for Harrington’s playing partner, 22-year-old Tom McKibbin, from McIlroy’s Holywood club an hour down the road. Though he made bogey on the first hole and was two-over through four holes, McKibbin bounced back with a 17-foot eagle putt on seven and another birdie on nine, in spite of going into the right rough off the tee.
He slid back with a double bogey on 11 after his tee shot went way right into gorse – from which he duffed his first chip attempt back out to the fairway – and though he bounced back with an instant birdie, he would finish with two further bogeys to card a one-over 72.
“A little bit of everything in there”, said McKibbin. “A little bit of a good, a little bit of bad; not great, but not bad. Overall not too annoyed but not happy.
“It was tricky. Some of the pin positions are really good. They’re just over just slopes. I played here so many times, and you would never even think of seeing pins where they are. It played pretty tricky.”
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Updated 12.38
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Golf off we go Padraig Harrington the open 2025