Cromwell, Connecticut …

Triple Major winning Padraig Harrington returned to competition after a freak elbow injury shooting a Travelers first round 66 in Connecticut and confirming he will contest next month’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links.

Harrington had to have six stitches inserted into an injury on the point of his elbow and while he said the bone is still sensitive there is no real outside evidence of any injury aside from a very small scratch of sorts.

“This is my low score of the year but then I have only played 21 rounds this year”, said Harrington smiling.

Padraig Harrington looking very pleased after his round and confirming he will add the Scottish Open to his schedule ahead of his Royal Birkdale defence. Photo .. golfbytourmiss.com

“The good thing is that I had 13 straight one-putts in the pro-am yesterday and I followed that up today.

“As for the injury, it was my own fault but looking at it now you wouldn’t know as I’ve had the stitches out and it has healed up so well, and so much so, I am a little bit embarrassed about it (laughing)”.

This year marks the first occasion in nine years the Open Championship will return to Royal Birkdale since Harrington won golf ’s oldest Major back-to-back in 2008.

And while Harrington will also contest the Irish Open the week prior the Scottish Open, he indicated his delight in heading to Dundonald Links.

“Ideally, I would only play one week before The Open but then I was considering playing the French, the Irish and then taking the Scottish Open off this year,” he said.

“But that would mean four weeks in succession up to and including Birkdale, so that was an issue for me.

“So, by playing here this week at the Travelers and not the French Open next week, I am now able to include the Scottish Open.

“But given before this week, and because of the neck surgery and my elbow injury, I have only played 21 rounds this year, so I need to play and looking forward to heading to Dundonald. I have not been to Dundonald but I know exactly where it is”.

The American duo of Johnson Wagner and Brett Stegmaier shared the early clubhouse lead with six under 64s while the Scottish duo of defending champion, Russell Knox along with Martin Laird were out in the afternoon half of the draw in the $US 6.8m event.