Pádraig Harrington may have lifted the Claret Jug twice but he ranks his “emotional” opening tee-shot in 2025 near the top of his Open Championship moments.
The Irishman was given the honour of hitting the first shot at Royal Portrush and while it may have been 6:35am in Northern Ireland, the grandstand was packed and the fairways were lined for the moment.
As a three-time Major champion, European Number One and Ryder Cup Captain and stalwart, the 53-year-old has seen almost everything there is to see in the game of golf.
But just weeks after winning his second Senior Major at the U.S. Senior Open, Harrington admits hitting the opening shot in golf’s oldest tournament was a special moment.
“It was very special, I've got to say,” he said. “It's a great honour to do it. I really hate the idea of being ceremonial but I was prepared to take that to do it because it was here. I'm glad I did.
“You certainly wouldn't start your career off expecting anything like that. It's not something you think, ‘oh, this is something I'd like to do in my career’.
“It wasn't out of the blue. It was out of the blue when I was asked this year but it's not out of the blue if you were thinking about it.
“I'm glad I did it now. Maybe I might get to do it again.”
Harrington’s opening shot was a 216-yard three iron that helped set up a birdie, which was met with a rapturous reception at the green.
“I came off the range about 20 minutes before my tee time and I could see the grandstand and it was empty,” he said. “I was like, ‘I thought this was going to be full’.
“Obviously we have to walk up and over and as I came up and over I could see people queueing for a long line to get into it. They hadn't let anybody in.
The opening tee shot of The 153rd Open. pic.twitter.com/rRZokRqF8M
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 17, 2025
“By the time we got there: the grandstand was full, the first fairway was full, the first green was full.
“Hitting that second three iron into 15, 18 feet, holing the putt was a serious buzz. It was very exciting and the crowds were spectacular at that hour of the morning. It was really great.”
He added: “I hyped up the tee shot as much as I could so when I got there today, it wasn't too bad. I was decently comfortable when I got on the tee. Obviously didn't try for too much, hit a nice smooth three iron down there, held the pose a little bit.
“I got a little emotional when I was clapped on and then I calmed down and I was kind of fine when I was hitting it.
“I wouldn't say I get too emotional, not like that, no. It felt like they were there for me, giving me a clap. I expected the nerves but I didn't expect that. So I did have to adjust myself for that.”
