Harrington slip-up opens up links

An unexpected late lapse by Padraig Harrington opened up the race for the Dunhill Championship again at St Andrews today.

Harrington was still preserving his one-stroke overnight lead when he ran up a double- bogey six at the downwind Road Hole 17th – after needing only a sand wedge for his second shot.

The Ryder Cup Dubliner left his approach short of the green, then made a mess of his chip as well and three-putted to drop from 17 under par to 15 under.

Although he came back with a finishing birdie to be alongside 48-year-old Argentinian Eduardo Romero – trying to become the oldest winner in European tour history – Harrington admitted afterwards: “I had the chance to put some distance between me and the rest of the field.

“Now there’s a lot of guys going out tomorrow with hopes of winning.”

With a first prize of more than £500,000, a celebrity pro-am has become very serious business for them too.

Harrington shot 68, and Romero – winner of the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in July – a 67 to join him on the 16-under-par mark of 200.

They are only one ahead of Fijian Vijay Singh, who moved right into the thick of the action by chipping in at the 18th for an eagle two and three clear of Spain’s Ignacio Garrido and Sandy Lyle – trying to end 10 barren years with his first ever victory at the Home of Golf.

“I’ve always wanted to win at St Andrews at some stage in my career,” said Lyle, who did not have a bogey in his 67 round the Old Course and would love to repeat that tomorrow.

Nine of last week’s Ryder Cup-winning team are taking place this week. But, while eight of them have survived the 54-hole cut – there had to be a three-day wait to trim the field with three courses being used – Harrington looks the only one in the running for the honours.

Colin Montgomerie (69) and Thomas Bjorn (73) are on eight under, eight adrift - while Phillip Price is two further back, Niclas Fasth four under, Darren Clarke three under and Paul McGinley and Lee Westwood both two under.

That was the cut-off mark. Sweden’s Pierre Fulke was nine too many at seven over, never recovering from his opening 79 at Carnoustie.