Ballyliffin bites back as Padraig Harrington bows out

Simon Lewis, Ballyliffin Pádraig Harrington laid out the challenge facing the three Dubai Duty Free Irish Open leaders on the narrow, firm and fast Glashedy Links at Ballyliffin this weekend as he digested the fact he would not be in the fight himself.

Pádraig Harrington laid out the challenge facing the three Dubai Duty Free Irish Open leaders on the narrow, firm and fast Glashedy Links at Ballyliffin this weekend as he digested the fact he would not be in the fight himself.

A day on from earning the plaudits as the double Open champion carded an opening four-under 68 in Donegal to sit one off the 18-hole lead, Harrington’s return to form proved to be painfully short-lived as even in benign weather conditions, the Pat Ruddy and Tom Craddock-designed links bared its teeth to crush a fair few ambitions in the summer sunshine.