Even with his Major-winning record and wealth of experience in the game, Pádraig Harrington admits there is still a “burden of expectation” when he competes at his home open.
The former World Number Three is this week making his 28th appearance as the Horizon Irish Open returns to the K Club for the first time since 2016.
His victory at the event in 2007, when he overcame Bradley Dredge in a play-off at Adare Manor, marked the start of the best spell of his career as he won three Majors – including back-to-back Opens – in a little over a year.
With a stellar field assembled in County Kildare, including World Number Two Rory McIlroy and another former champion in Shane Lowry, Harrington is prepared to shoulder some of the attention in front of packed out crowds but admits it's something that has never been all that easy for him in Ireland.
“This can be an awkward and difficult week,” he said.
“There is a lot of burden of expectation, a lot of stress, a lot of pressure, a lot more things to do.
“So, I think at this time, the fact I've won it in the past and with my experience, I realised, look, you can't do everything.
“You have got to chill out this week. Take it easy. I have just got to believe I'm not going to forget how to play golf when I tee up on Thursday.”
Just playing your home open is like leading the tournament from day one
Since turning professional in 1995, Harrington has won 15 titles on the DP World Tour and has enjoyed success in the over-50s game, narrowly missing out on winning his second Senior Major title at The Senior Open Presented by Rolex in July.
Ahead of his third appearance in a five-event stretch over consecutive weeks on the DP World Tour, Harrington says minimising his workload in advance of teeing it up is key to maximising his chances of performing well.
“Just playing your home open is like leading the tournament from day one,” he explained.
“We know that if you lead the tournament from day one, that is a lot of stress for three days going into the final day.
“So, look, there's just a bigger level on you. There's a lot of expectation. You'll tee it up the first day and you'll be hitting shots the first day, like you're already in the lead, which you struggle to free yourself up.
“Now that doesn't mean that you don't try. I think as a younger player, I would have absolutely tried to do everything, try to cover every angle for the week.
“As an older player, I know that can't be done, so I just take a little easy and if I can't get my normal routine done well, don't worry about it. I'll figure it out when I get on the golf course.”
Last month, in a Player Blog presented by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Harrington spoke of his drive to create history and replace Miguel Ángel Jiménez as the oldest winner on the DP World Tour.
Having turned 52 at the end of the month, Harrington comes into his home open with plenty of encouraging signs in his game and just one missed cut all year on Tour.
He is now hoping everything can click to give himself the best chance of mounting a title challenge, something he managed at the start of the year in Abu Dhabi.
“All parts of my game have been good at some stage this year," said Harrington, who finished in a tie for 20th at last week’s Omega European Masters. "They just haven’t all been good in the one week.
“So, I'm trying to be patient and waiting for the one week where I drive it well, hit my irons well and putt well altogether. They've kind of been coming and going during the year, not in a bad way, but the really good weeks have been separated by one part, not being quite as sharp.
“I know I have to be patient and wait and trust that even if it doesn't happen this week, I'll still be patient for next week and let it happen then.
“I suppose that's what experience is. As much as you get older, you find yourself with a few demons. You also have the experience to realise you just can't be as much in control as you would think you can be.”
Harrington will play alongside Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin, who won his maiden DP World Tour title earlier this season, and PGA TOUR winner Tom Hoge from America over the first two rounds.
