Harrington to the Manor born

Charlie Mulqueen, Adare

It wasn’t just because he kept rattling off birdies, eagles and even holed bunker recoveries before shooting a new record round of 63 for a 14-under-par total of 130 that Co Limerick took him to their hearts. Or because he partnered the Charleville Community Care team of Danny Deady and Pat and Mike Potter to the day’s joint-top team prize with an aggregate of 19-under. Or indeed that he more or less made it a clean sweep of the top prizes by landing the team professional prize over the two days. It all meant a bonanza for the Irishman of E240,000.

If anything, the fans appreciated Harrington even more for the manner in which he networked with them throughout the two days, signing autographs so willingly that his pen ran dry after only nine holes on Thursday and he needed “back-up” to to cope with yesterday’s demands.

Any money he picked up was the least of his considerations and he now switches his attentions to next week’s Open Championship at St Andrews, mindful that in 2000 Tiger Woods won the McManus Classic and was Open champion a week later. Hopefully, that’s a happy omen for the big test that lies ahead. How he maintained his concentration and focus so effectively as to sweep all before him in the the main prize categories is impossible to explain. Suffice to say Padraig joined in the fun as enthusiastically as anybody, laughing and joking with the fans but switching on to his shotmaking when that was required.

The Garda Siochána estimated an attendance yesterday of 28,000, some 7,000 more than on Thursday. Bearing in mind the number of complimentary tickets (or caps in this case) that were handed out, that should still amount to more than E 1.25 million in gate receipts, apart from what accrued from last night’s auction. It was a massive response to all the work JP McManus and his team put into ensuring the success of the event and even if there were some over enthusiastic autograph hunters on occasions, the two days went off with great good-humour, much to the relief of JP himself.

“I don’t feel nervous about the golf or the banquet, nothing like that, but I was nervous in case there had been a weather delay in Chicago at the weekend and their tournament had gone into Monday, what would we have done then?” he wondered. “I was also worried about the number of people who would turnout but there are now no worries on that account.”

The vast majority of the crowd, probably something in the region of 5,000, trooped happily after Tiger Woods who also joined in the sense of fun and hilarity. However, he became the latest and most illustrious victim of Adare’s magnificent par five 18th when he put his drive in the River Maigue and ran up an ugly seven. Tiger eventually finished 74 for a three under par total of 141.

Harrington’s 63 was a masterpiece, highlighted by eagles at the 6th (drive, 3 iron, 15 foot putt) and 12th (drive, 5 wood, chipped in) and a marvellous birdie from a thirty yard sand shot at the first. The reception he received at the presentation around the 18th green, from a crowd that would have been the envy of every European Tour tournament, left even Padraig almost speechless but he was very happy to tell us just how he felt about the two days.

“I love pro-ams, it’s a great distraction when you have a team there and you’re trying to read their putts and support what they’re doing,” he said. “I finished on the 13th and it was totally ringed in when I got down there, a fantastic situation and here at the 18th you have a stadium finish over the water. Limerick needs a Tour event after the way they’ve turned out for this. This was all about enjoying ourselves and having a relaxed two days of golf. I didn’t play my very best golf but I scored well because my mind was in the right place.

“I need to do a bit more work between now and the Open. You can’t go there on a wing and a prayer. A 63 is a good score but it was my day, I got the breaks and just went with it. You don’t make a couple of eagles too often so it was one of those days and you just take what you get and leave it like that. This is a big event down here. Adare Manor is the ideal venue for this. It really is a beautiful, beautiful place.”

Harrington wasn’t thinking about beating Trevor Immelman’s course record of 64 set on Monday until he had played nine or so holes but after that, he conceded “it was all I was thinking about. I was thinking about getting to eight under and when I got there I was thinking nine because it’s better to hold the course record on your own rather than share it. That’s what was keeping me going. I’ll be bringing what I have to the Open as it will be too late to change anything when I get there.”

Harrington had six shots to spare over the South African Tim Clark with Luke Donald and Paul casey of England tying for third.