Padraig Harrington was devastated to lose the Senior PGA and blamed the “over-confidence” that price him the Irish Youths 35 years in the past for the late double-bogey that misplaced him the title.
Seven-under-par “doing handstands” after 14 holes and two pictures away from eventual champion Angel Cabrera, the Dubliner (53) hooked a five-wood into heavy tough on the fifteenth and made a double bogey six that proved deadly.
“I acquired off to a great begin,” Harrington mentioned as he watched Cabrera three-putt the final and nonetheless win by a shot from him and Thomas Bjorn on eight-under.
“Stored my head down. Like seven-under by way of 14, I might have been extra, doing handstands.
“You understand, I’ve had a lifelong downside with getting assured and cocky, and I did on the fifteenth tee field; it was such a easy tee shot.
“5-wood, slightly draw down there, and I simply completely did not get into it sufficient after which panicked on the final second and hit an enormous hook.
“It is at all times plagued me my entire life since I have been a child. Simply get overconfident and simply do not. I would be significantly better off if I acquired to the fifteenth gap and there was water all over the place.
“Most likely would’ve completed a greater job. Typically, it simply follows me round. I can get overconfident.”
Harrington had outdoors birdie probabilities on the final three greens however ended up three-putting the 18th for bogey and a 68 after lacking a three-foot return putt.
“Did not see that break in any respect,” he mentioned of his method putt. “You understand, clearly I missed a putt again up the hill. We’re on the Champions TOUR. That is all I will say about that.”
What galled him was the drive on the fifteenth, which reminded him how he misplaced the 1990 Irish Youths at Dundalk.
“I misplaced a match after I was 18 years of age again — what was it referred to as, the Irish Youths and I did the very same factor,” Harrington recalled.
“Two forward with three to play and relaxed. I am significantly better off with nerves and pressure.
“I used to be simply relaxed on 15, after which I did it on 18 tee, 72nd gap at Carnoustie (within the 2007 Open). I could not see myself hitting a nasty — that was the very same. Stood there so assured, and on the final second I had slightly little bit of doubt.
“When you begin off with doubt, if you really feel doubt over the ball, it would not really feel so unhealthy. When you begin off assured, then you definitely really feel doubt. It is like a blowup. So, yeah, so I used to be simply too assured. Occurs.”
He managed to regroup to win that Open, however seeing off Sergio Garcia within the playoff was a wrestle.
“Yeah, , like after I went to the playoff, I used to be at a two-shot lead taking part in the fourth playoff gap at Carnoustie,” he mentioned.
“All I stored telling myself strolling from the seventeenth to the 18th as a result of I would completed it once more for the eight-footer for birdie on the third playoff gap. Misplaced all of the depth.
“I stored telling myself I might nonetheless lose. I am the one individual that has to stroll onto the tee, and I am attempting to get myself going by saying it isn’t over.
“Whereas I feel on 15 I’m relaxed and pondering, — not that you simply suppose it is over, however I simply rushed into the shot and it was simply — did not give it its due respect.”
Cabrera performed the 18th with a two-shot lead, and his three-putt bogey solely added to the watching Harrington’s frustration.
“I would just actually like him to two-putt, and he isn’t,” he mentioned as he watched Cabrera misjudge his first putt. “Oh, God.”
“Yeah, look, I am disenchanted now. Yeah, could possibly be much more disappointing if he would not gap that.”
