JOHANNESBURG - Sadly for me, after a long run of attending Opens I won’t be at Royal Birkdale this week for the 146th edition of golf’s oldest Major, now that I’ve been put out to pasture.
But I was at Birkdale for the 2008 Open there, when Ireland’s Padraig Harrington won, defending his title at the same time. And thinking about it now, especially since the name Harrington cropped up last week in the Scottish Open where he led at halfway before finishing tied fourth, brought the memories of a wonderful 2008 Open flooding back.
Harrington doesn’t drink, or at least he didn’t at the time, but that didn’t stop one of the UK’s tabloids running a rather appropriate “Make Mine a Double!” banner after he defended his crown, as he had also triumphed at Carnoustie 12 months earlier.
The day before the 2008 Open started, an injury to Padraig’s right wrist cast doubts about whether he would start. But the 36-year-old not only teed off on the Thursday, but went on to best cope with the driving rain and near gale-force winds that battered the fabled links all week. The £750 000 he earned prompted another catchy headline: “Paddy’s Wristful of Dollars!”.
Can’t wait to get started tomorrow @TheOpen alongside @RossFisher& @BWiesberger Tee times R1 12.42pm & R2 7.41am
— Ernie Els (@TheBig_Easy) July 19, 2017
“Harri Putter - His Chamber of Secrets” was also appropriate as Harrington certainly did have some magic going over the four days with his "flat stick".
He returned home with the Claret Jug after becoming the first European golfer since Scotland’s James Braid in 1906 to win back-to-back Opens.
“It’s a lot shinier than I remember,” joked the Dubliner, who had only handed the famous trophy back to the R&A on the Tuesday before the tournament.
“They obviously cleaned it up nicely. I had a great year after winning the 2007 Open, so much so I didn’t want to return it. Well I won’t have to now and it’ll be nice to have it back on the breakfast table.”
Padraig finished four ahead of runner-up Ian Poulter, and if 54-hole leader Greg Norman had managed to close the deal he would have become, at 53, the oldest champion of any Major. But it wasn’t to be as the Shark signed for an eight-bogey final round 77, to tie for third.
A hug and a kiss from new bride Chris Evert however, helped ease the disappointment as Norman left the 18th green.
— Branden Grace (@BrandenGrace) July 18, 2017
Golfers don’t come any more squeaky-clean than Harrington who, just in case playing the game full-time didn’t work out, earned himself an accounting degree before turning professional.
He is (or at least was) also a member of a tiny minority of Irishmen who are teetotal. Not for him, the Guinness. Just the golfing glory. Padraig’s favourite club at the time was his five-wood and he used it to telling effect at the par-5 17th hole in the final round. As one of the media, I was inside the ropes and had a "pound seats" view as he rifled it down the middle with his tee-shot and then used it again for his stunning 249-yard approach to the flag, which finished just three feet from the cup.
He then rolled in the putt for an eagle three en route to a four-stroke victory. It was one of the greatest plays in Open history and earned him the award for European Shot of the Year.
Just three weeks later in Detroit the self-same "Harri Putter" held off a strong challenge from Sergio Garcia to become the first European golfer in almost 80 years to lift the enormous Wanamaker Trophy after winning the US PGA Championship to collect his third Major in 13 months.
So will Irish eyes again smile at Birkdale on Sunday? Somehow I don’t think so. Harrington, in spite of playing well last week, probably isn’t up for another Major, Rory McIlroy’s off-form, and Darren Clarke is not the golfer he once was.
I think it’s more likely to be Spanish eyes all aglow this time. They’re all playing great. Garcia, of course, won this year’s Masters. And last week it was Rafa Cabrera Bello top of the leaderboard in the Irish Open and just before that the hugely talented Jon Rahm victorious in the Irish Open.
So, sorry South Africa (I hope I’m proved wrong) and sorry you Irish, but this year my money’s on the par-busting Senors. Or maybe the Yanks.
Course in really good shape. Should be a great week at #theopen. pic.twitter.com/hhwnvlN41Q
— Louis Oosthuizen (@Louis57TM) July 17, 2017