Triple Major winning Padraig Harrington reminded Rory McIlroy these is no shame in finishing second.
For a long time Harrington was golf’s leading ‘bridesmaid’ in recording nearly 30 second place finishes around the globe before doing away with that tag in the best way possible with the first of three Major Championship victories.
Padraig Harrington in jovial mood on the eve of the Portugal Masters. (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)
The subject of finishing second was raised by www.golfbytourmiss.com at a press conference Harrington attended today on the eve of the Euro 2.5m Portugal Masters being played once again on the Ocenico Victoria course at Villamoura.
Three weeks ago McIlroy walked from the Old Course at St. Andrews clearly bitterly disappointed to finish runner-up to fellow Northern Irishman Michael Hoey in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Then last weekend, McIlroy had to settle for yet another second and this time to Rickie Fowler in Korea.
Harrington was asked if he felt the pain that McIlroy might be going through at present in recording two straight seconds was similar to what he endured before capturing the 136th Open Championship at Carnoustie.
“There was some tournaments where I finished second and I felt I’d done really well, and there were other tournaments where I finished second and you couldn’t console me,” he said.
“So every second place finish is different.
“Just because it has the number 2 beside your name doesn’t always mean the same.
“Some weeks, you mess up to finish second and you feel horrible. Other weeks you play great and you shoot 65 and you end up finishing second.”
McIlroy recorded the seventh second place result of his career and the third this season in ending behind Fowler.
Padraig Harrington at Wednesday's Portugal Masters Press Conference. (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)
But as Harrington rightly pointed out, McIlroy recorded a final round 64 to finish second to his American rival, and really it was a third round 73 that spoilt the hopes of the reigning U.S. Open winner.
“Yes, Rory’s second in Korea will be used as a label to say, oh, Rory you finished second,” said Harrington.
“But then he shot 64 to finish second.
“So Rickie Fowler won the tournament; Rory didn’t lose it.”
And Harrington reminded everyone that when the 2011 season ends, McIlroy’s season will not be marked by how many seconds he recorded by the events on Father’s Day.
“There are good second place finishes and there are bad second place results but I guarantee you, you take every second place of the year and what will be more important is having that one Major win, for sure,” said Harrington.
“I know what Rory’s career would be defined by, the one Major win in 2011, and that will be the case even if he won 10 events in 2011.
“2011 will be remembered because he won his first Major.”
