PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON AND Shane Lowry are both on track for a top 10 finish after putting on their Sunday best at the PGA Championship.
Playing together, the Irish pair both shot final rounds of three-under par 69 to share the early clubhouse lead at Kiawah Island on two-under par.
They currently sit tied fifth, five shots behind leader Phil Mickelson who is seven-under through nine holes.
Bidding to become the oldest Major winner in golf history, Mickelson is two shots clear of Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen on five-under, with Kevin Streelman alone in fourth place on three-under.
Harrington’s finish is set to be his best at a Major since he finished two shots behind winner Webb Simpson at the 2012 US Open at Olympic Club.
The three-time Major champion got his day off to a perfect start with an eagle three on the second hole, and backed it up with a birdie on the third to launch his climb up the leaderboard.
Back-to-back bogeys at the fourth and fifth dented that early momentum, but Harrington was undeterred, and made two more birdies to make the turn at two-under for the tournament.
An opportunity to close the gap even further slipped by when he missed a 16-foot birdie putt at the 13th.
But Harrington responded with a highlight-reel moment at the next, chipping in from the left rough for a birdie at the par-three 14th, before closing out his card with a bogey and three pars.
Yes, captain! 😍
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) May 23, 2021
Padraig Harrington birdies the 14th to get within three of the #PGAChamp lead! pic.twitter.com/ewiQWzfFZ8
For Lowry, Sunday’s performance alongside Europe’s Ryder Cup captain is set to be another huge boost in his quest to climb the world rankings and play his way onto Harrington’s team for September’s match in Whistling Straits.
A rollercoaster start saw Lowry make three birdies and three bogeys in his first six holes before a birdie at the ninth to move to level par for the tournament.
Two more birdies followed at the 12th and the par-five 16th before one final opportunity at the last when a six-footer for birdie just trickled by.
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