Kingsbarns, Scotland ….
Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley wound back the clock to be tied in second place on a extremely tough opening day at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
The double Dunhill winning Harrington posted a three-under par 69 and then was joined by McGinley who was competing in the last match on day one of the annual pro-am event but three-putted his last hole to finish tied with Harrington and three others in second and just a shot adrift of the leading duo of England’s Matt Wallace and Aussie Marcus Fraser.
Padraig Harrington speaking after his round of a three-under par 69 at Kingsbarns
It was taxing day for both pros and amateurs and with Harrington and McGinley fighting 30mph cross-winds at Kingsbarns.
Harrington had been level par, thanks to two birdies and two bogeys after seven holes, before birdies 12th 15th and 16th holes.
“I’ve had 11 days not playing on a golf course and started hitting shots on Monday, so a couple of days hitting shots and my first round was on Wednesday, 11 days, and it’s completely different, hitting a golf shot, hitting one on the golf course,” he said.
“I thought I would never be ready for today but there you go, a little bit of focus, a little bit of, I suppose, being in competition, it sharpens you a little bit.
“I was really good mentally today, which I thought I was going to struggle, but yeah, happily surprised.”
McGinley had also commenced his round with a first hole bogey and in between his starting and ending bogey he managed five birdies including back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17.
Shane Lowry in good spirits after his round of 72. (Photo @tourmiss)
Shane Lowry was next best of the Irish with a birdie on 12 and a bogey on 15 for a level par 72 at Kingbarns Links.
“It was a tough day in the office and I haven’t played in these conditions for a long while where you are hitting 8-irons 120-yards, so it was very tricky,” he said.
“So, I am pretty happy with a 72 but I am also pretty tired as the conditions do wear you out and as funny as this sounds, but I am half looking forward to Carnoustie tomorrow.”
Graeme McDowell looked pleased to birdie his closing hole in a round of 77 but only after playing the prior 17 in six-over par.
But sticking out on McDowell’s scorecard like a pair of sore thumbs was a double-bogey ‘6’ at the short par-4 14th he was playing as his fifth and then taking a horror triple-bogey ‘6’ at the ‘across the edge of water’ par-3 15th.
“I had a really tough start and I just struggled on the greens in these really tricky conditions,” he said.
“I’ve also just six weeks off and to have experienced the excitement and passion of regaining the Ryder Cup to come here to be playing in 30 mph cross-winds was not that good.
“There was just the two bad holes at 14 and 15 that hurt my round, so I was happy after that with the way I steadied the ship and hung in there.
“My only main concern is that my iron-play was a bit rusty and I do need fix that as everything else is not too bad.”
Other Irish –
74 – Michael Hoey, Robin Dawson
78 – Paul Dunne
