Padraig Harrington relishing mental battle in pursuit of more silverware 

During a professional career spanning almost 30 years, Pádraig Harrington has learned more than most what sets you apart at the elite level of the game.

Since leaving the amateur ranks in 1996, the Irishman has gone on to become one of the most successful players of his era and continues to mix it with the young guns now he is into his 50s.

The best spell of his career came between 2007-2008 when he picked up three Major Championships, including back-to-back Claret Jugs at The Open.

Hard work and a passion to learn have long been characteristics that Harrington has been known for, with his place in the sport’s history highlighted by the announcement earlier this year that he will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

But with Harrington bidding to become just the fifth player to win The Open and Senior Open double this week, there is one quality he believes is paramount above all others to longevity at the top of the game.

“I would say once you get to our level, it is 99 per cent mental,” Harrington told Tim Barter during an in-round interview as he carded a three-under 68 to sit just outside the top ten at the halfway stage of Europe’s only Senior Major Championship.

“I could find you 10,000 players who could hit the ball as good or better than the pros on Tour and they are not Tour players and they never will be. I will find you a few, not a lot, on Tour who are terrible ball strikers but are great pros.

“At this level it is all attitude; about yourself, about your shots, self-belief…. it really is mental.

“If I was trying to distinguish a junior player going forward… they are all going to be good ball strikers.

“It is the one who has that sparkle, the one who is like Bernhard Langer or Seve Ballesteros, just has that innate ability to enjoy whatever he gets on the golf course.”

After opening with a four-over 75 on Thursday at Royal Porthcawl, Harrington revealed he was unable to “make any good clear decisions” but he returned with an attacking mindset on Friday.

He made five birdies in his opening eight holes and despite undoing some of that excellent work with double bogeys at the ninth and 16th he finished in style with an eagle to head into the weekend at one over.

In a sign of the high standards he sets himself, Harrington was left to reflect on what could have been as he referenced some “tired” decision-making in what is his third tournament in as many weeks.

“It could have been a lot better,” he said.

“But you know, maybe there's one on the weekend.

“I made a lot of tired decisions the first day and some more today, so that worries me. I need to recover for the next two days.”

Despite some uncharacteristic errors, Harrington will be a player many in the field will be wary of.

At the age of 51, Harrington is arguably hitting it longer off the tee than he ever has – a result of his continued pursuit of improvement.

At the start of the year, he revealed he felt his game had never been in a better shape as he threatened to become the oldest winner in DP World Tour history at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

He would ultimately finish in a tie for fourth, but it was a sign of just how strong his competitive desire remains.

Whether it be on the regular tour or in the over-50 ranks, Harrington continues to relish the challenge of taking on both the course and the field.

Since starting to play on the PGA TOUR Champions, he has won five times in 13 months, including a first Senior Major at the U.S. Senior Open last June.

And as a specialist of the links art, it would be no surprise if he was to rise to the top once again over the weekend in Wales and add another piece of silverware in his illustrious career.