Pádraig: Turkey can be Ryder Cup stepping stone

Pádraig Harrington believes he is capable of making a Ryder Cup return at the age of 47 after making a superb start to the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya.

Playing on a sponsor’s invite, Harrington carded a six-under-par 65, his lowest score of the year, to lie a shot off the lead shared by Haydn Porteous, Joost Luiten, and Nicolas Colsaerts at the Regnum Carya Resort.

Ian Poulter was a shot further back after a bogey-free 66 matched by fellow Englishman Eddie Pepperell, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, and Matthieu Pavon, with Lee Westwood and another Irishman, Paul Dunne, on four under.