OLDEST IRISH AMERICAN NEWSPAPER IN USA, ESTABLISHED IN 1928
Category: Archive

No Dutch treat for Harrington

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

By John Manley

Padraig Harrington continued to play a brand of golf that was good enough to keep his name near the upper reaches of the leaderboard, but not quite good enough to make a run for top money in the TNT Dutch Open.

After 72 holes, Harrington’s 276 (67-67-71-71) left him seven shots behind Bernhard Langer and Warren Bennett, who settled the championship with a sudden death playoff that went to Langer. Harrington found himself two shots behind leader Ricardo Gonzalez at the mid-way point, but saw his score edge upwards over the weekend.

He shared ninth place with two others. Philip Walton showed signs of rejuvenation, finishing four under par and tied for 24th place at 280 (69-68-70-73). He, too, was an early contender, just five shots off Gonzalez after 36 holes.

A stroll down the list of finishers found Paul McGinley (71-70-67-75) and David Higgins (70-71-67-75) tied for 40th place with scores of 283. The early rounds seemed to indicate that the British Open hadn’t dulled Darren Clarke’s edge, but the weekend told a different story. He settled into a 56th place tie at 285 (68-70-73-74).

Eamonn Darcy just made the cut, then endured a troubled weekend en route to a tie for 69th place at 290 (70-71-76-73). Des Smyth, at 144 (73-71), and Ronan Rafferty, at 147 (77-70), both missed the cut.

Sign up to The Irish Echo Newsletter

BRITISH SENIOR OPEN

The galleries at Royal County Down were treated to the sight of Jack

Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player traipsing down the fairways in this major for the over-50 set. Nicklaus contended and finished tied for third, but Palmer opened with an 84 and, despite clipping nine strokes off that number in his next round, suggested that his competitive playing days may be numbered.

Ian Stanley was crowned the champion but only after finishing off Bob

Charles in a playoff. Both men shot six-under-par 278. Nicklaus and John

Morgan were tied for third place, three shots back at 281.

Eddie Polland showed best of the Irish. He took 15th place at 289 (75-74-70-70). Kenny Stevenson was one of a foursome tied for 23rd place at 293. He shot 72-72-76-73. Denis O’Sullivan laid sole claim to 40th place, with his 297 (76-72-74-75).

Also finishing 72 holes were Arthur Pierse, who tied for 49th place at 300 (76-74-75-75), and Paul Leonard, alone in 67th place at 311 (72-73-84-82).

Other Articles You Might Like

Sign up to our Daily Newsletter

Click to access the login or register cheese