Pádraig Harrington got off to a sturdy start in the Dunhill Links Championship, taking place at Carnoustie, one of the three rotating venues, by scoring five-under-par of 67 in the initial round. The seasoned Dublin golfer harbours a special fondness for Carnoustie, as the site of his first Major victory in 2007. He began with a bang, tallying seven birdies in his earliest 14 holes amidst the balmy sunshine and placid weather on Scotland’s eastern shores.
Initiating his game at the 10th hole, Harrington unfortunately succumbed to bogey slips at 7 and 8, his 16th and 17th holes, and only just managed to save another bogey at the last through a six-foot hole. The 53-year-old golfer has proven himself a double champion of the DP World Tour event. Along with David Howell, he is one of the exclusive players to have participated in each Dunhill Links championship since its creation in 2001. This event sees professional golfers teaming up with amateurs for the opening three days, spanning Carnoustie, St Andrews and Kingsbarns, before the final round at St Andrews. Harrington, partnered with JP McManus’s son Kieran, communicated to Sky Sports his delight over the warm weather.
Harrington expressed his belief that both the professional and amateur players immensely enjoy the event, stating that they get to mingle extensively. He added that their engagement with intelligent and intriguing amateurs often leads to stimulating conversations. Harrington concluded by saying that they usually question the amateurs more than they are questioned, and despite the commonality of the sentiment, there’s much to appreciate in these interactions, even more so when weather conditions are ideal.
In spite of a slightly disappointing conclusion to the game, Harrington’s round managed to match the third-best round of the day at Carnoustie, considered the toughest out of the three venues. At Kingsbarns, which was a relatively easier course for the professionals, South African Darren Fichardt stole the show with a staggering 11-under-par 61, coming only a shot shy of the course record. He stands a stroke ahead of Australian Cameron John, who shot 62, while Scott Jamison and Andrew Wilson managed 63s, all at Kingsbarns.
Jon Rahm delivered a stellar performance at Carnoustie, playing a stunning round of seven-under-par 65. This feat was achieved alongside his LIV and Ryder Cup colleague, Tyrrell Hatton. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy had a fluctuating day on the green, scoring three-under-par 69 at Carnoustie, ranking him in the middle tier of golfers. A memorable moment of the day was when McIlroy’s father, Gerry, managed to secure a par from off the green on the 7th hole.
As a general assessment, the day was perfect for a game at Carnoustie, McIlroy admitted, however, he failed to utilise the favourable conditions to their fullest. However, he described the round as solid, with room for improvement at Kingsbarns in the following day.
Speaking about his father’s company, McIlroy expressed his delight. This wasn’t a unique occurrence, it’s happened a few times before. His father’s 65th birthday falling on this Saturday adds to the significance of their shared round.
According to McIlroy, concluding the Carnoustie round comes with relief. He mentioned missing the opportunity to make the most of the conditions, but was optimistic about Kingsbarns. Known for its low scoring history in suitable conditions, McIlroy is determined to work towards a better score to improve his standing in the tournament.
Elsewhere at Carnoustie, Shane Lowry kicked off with a solid four-under-par 68, and Tom McKibbin scored two under at St Andrews. Falling short of expectations, Alex Maguire ended with a less than satisfactory two-over-par 74, placing him at the lower end of the leaderboard.