Harrington moving clear

Padraig Harrington quickly stretched his overnight lead to three strokes when he began his third round in the Dunhill Links Championship over The Old Course on Saturday.

And one of Ireland’s Ryder Cup heroes was being joined in battle by Welsh cup star Phillip Price, the surprising victor over Phil Mickelson in the singles last Sunday.

As Harrington birdied the first and third holes at St Andrews, the first of two successive rounds for him on the Old Course, Price was prospering at Kingsbarns.

The 35-year-old from Pontypridd birdied three of his first six holes to move into a tie for third place just three shots off the lead.

Harrington’s birdie brace took him to 14 under par, three clear of Eduardo Romero, the Scottish Open champion who could only par the first two on the Old Course.

Price was level with Mikael Lundberg of Sweden and Jyoti Randhawa of India. Lundberg had not begun his round at Kingsbarns while Randhawa had one birdie in his first five holes at Carnoustie.

Thomas Bjorn held sixth place as he waited to begin on The Old Course.

South Africans Retief Goosen and Ernie Els, battling for the Order of Merit title, were both playing the Old Course on Saturday.

Though they are well clear of the pack on the money list, third-placed Harrington could move right up on their heels if he wins the title and £500,000 (€800m) on Sunday.

“I’m only trying to win this,” Harrington insisted however. “I’m not trying to win the Order of Merit this week. I’m trying to win the Dunhill Links Championship. Nothing else.”