Padraig Harrington could not have been happier passing a pre-Open Championship ‘test’ on the first day of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open near Inverness.
Harrington sounded excited but physically was tired and looking to put his 43-year old feet up after posting a two under par 70 on a bright but very windy opening day on the Castle Stuart course.
If left Harrington and fellow Irishman Graeme McDowell among eight players sharing third place and a stroke behind the leading duo of Aussie Scott Hend and Chile’s Felipe Aguilar with 69s.
Padraig Harrington happy to have passed pre-Open test at Castle Stuart.
Both Hend and Aguilar will represent their respective countries in next month’s Olympics and with Aguilar, who is related to one of the miners rescued from the Chilean mine collapse some years back, offering some timely advice to those who have withdrawn from the Olympics.
“I am more scared of my wife than any mosquito,” joked Aguilar.
Harrington was level par through the outward half and tamed the tougher inward nine in two under.
“It was tough as it required your attention out there but despite the conditions it was still very playable, so it was all there in front of you and I would enjoy this challenge every day of my tournament life,” he said.
“It wasn’t relaxing as it was tough and stressful and you had to pay attention, and an awful long day, but I enjoyed the conditions and it was just the sort of test you want going into The Open.
“On days like this if you were to have a poor start you be thinking to yourself that you were not going to get it back so that today for me was a big test and I can’t be happier.
“But in saying that I am exhausted as it was a long, long day what with delays so I am very happy that I am at the late end of the morning draw tomorrow.”
McDowell clearly benefitted from spending last week at Royal Troon despite missing the cut in the 100th French Open.
Like Harrington, he had four birdies and half as many bogeys.
“I am pretty happy with that as it was a battle out there,” he said.
“But then having two days at Troon were a big help coming into this week and prepared me well for what we were presented with today.”
And after confessing to a case of ‘foot-in-mouth’ disease in criticising the course post 2011, McDowell has clearly kissed and made up with Castle Stuart.
“Coming from a guy who inadvertently criticised this place a few years back not trying to do so, I’m pleasantly surprised by how good the golf course actually is.”
Belfast’s Michael Hoey posted a 74 while Shane Lowry dropped four shots in his closing five holes in a 77 and the same score as Paul McGinley.
And Paul Dunne looks to have rubber-stamped Seamus Power’s place in the Ireland men’s Olympic golf team after signing for a disappointing 78.
Dunne needs to win the Scottish event if he’s to deny Power a trip to Rio, and with the cut-off date for qualification next Monday.
