<p>Padraig Harrington tees off from the 15th hole during the first round of the 2026 U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio on Thursday, July 2, 2026. (Jeff Haynes/USGA)</p>
Pádraig Harrington was relieved to make three birdies in his last six holes and get his US Senior Open defence off to a solid start in Ohio.
Facing tough pin positions and scorching heat at Scioto Country Club, the two-time champion feared the worst when he followed a birdie at the ninth with three bogeys in a row at the start of his back nine.
“It wasn't looking good at that stage,” said the Dubliner (54), who single-putted five of his last six holes and picked up birdies at the 13th, 17th and 18th to open with a one-under 69
“I think the fact it's 72 holes, and it's a US Open, and I was telling myself to stick in there, stick in there. Getting that birdie back straightaway on 13 was big.
“It doesn't always work out that way, but I was thinking, if I could get a birdie on one of the last two holes it would be a bit of a steal to get in at level par.
“Clearly making two birdies in the last two is going to make for a very sweet lunch and the rest of the day.”
Harrington was tied for sixth just two strokes behind leader Charlie Wi and Stewart Cink, whose 67s gave them a one-stroke lead over George McNeill, Freddie Jacobson and England’s Simon Griffiths, who aced the 17th and birdied the last.
Chris Devlin, who earned a second consecutive US Senior Open start via qualifying, shot 70 to share 16th,
“I drove the ball great all day,” said Devlin, who tied for 55th on his debut at the Broadmoor last year. “I was hitting it into places I wanted to. Was a little bit more spring in the fairway, so many of the dropped shots I had were from where the ball went a little further than it had been going in the practice rounds, so I ended up in a couple of fairway bunkers. But we were able to get it around.”
Darren Clarke was three under after six holes but shot 71 to share 26th after struggling on the greens from there.
It was also a tough day for Séamus Power (39) in the John Deere Classic in Illinois, where a back injury forced him to withdraw after an opening 77.
The West Waterford man turned in two under at TPC Deere Run, but he came home in 44 as he followed bogeys at the 10th and 11th with three double bogeys in a row from the 15th.
Lucas Glover and Zac Blair shot eight under 63 to lead by a shot from Lee Hodges, Stephan Jaeger and Zach Johnson.
In Munich, South Africans Hennie du Plessis and Jayden Schaper fired eight-under 64s to lead the BMW International Open by a shot from Australia’s Anthony Quayle and compatriot JC Ritchie.
At the Hulencourt Women’s Open, Anna Foster’s one-under 71 in breezy conditions left her tied for 16th, just three shots behind India’s Diksha Dagar, South Africa’s Nadia van der Westhuizen, Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux and England’s Bronte Law.
Sara Byrne shot 75, Aine Donegan a 77 and Olivia Mehafey a 78 to leave them in a battle to make the cut in Belgium.
Meanwhile, Jon Rahm will have a chance to match Seve Ballesteros by claiming a third Amgen Irish Open win after confirming he’ll play at Trump International Golf Links Doonbeg from September 10-13.
In amateur golf, the Arnold Palmer Cup gets underway at Tralee Golf Links today with several prospective members of the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team, but no Irish players, among the men on the Inernational team
Article Link: Harrington rallies to make strong start to US Senior Open defence - News - Irish Golf Desk