Padraig Harrington after heartbreak at Senior Open? "I haven't been myself"

Padraig Harrington rued a poor week with his short game after a duffed chip cost him the Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.

Ben Smith

30 Jul 2023

Padraig Harrington after heartbreak at Senior Open?

Padraig Harrington was left to rue a bad week with his short game after a duffed chip cost him the Senior Open to Alex Cejka.

Cejka needed extra holes to see off the Irishman at Royal Porthcawl on a day where the conditions were absolutely horrific.

German Cejka, who has a history of being disqualified in PGA Tour Champions events, defeated Harrington at the second extra hole.

Harrington did have an eagle putt to win the major on the 72nd hole but later admitted his putt was lacking in conviction.

He said:

"I hit a tentative putt on the 72nd hole. You have a chance to win the tournament and you have got to hit a great putt.

"At the end of the day, I was trying to not hit a bad putt. I should have been trying to hit a great putt.

"Some of that could be tiredness too. All week, I chipped poorly, I just haven't been myself."

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Not gonna lie, I can’t stop watching the #SeniorOpen… A PROPER links golf weather day. It is absolute carnage for those guys and (I’m sorry) it is fun to watch haha
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) July 30, 2023

This was the second playoff defeat in a senior major for the former Ryder Cup captain and decorated tour pro.

He fluffed his chip on the second playoff hole at the par-5 18th which opened the door for the 52-year-old.

Both players finished on 5-over par for the championship. Cejka carded a final round of 76 and Harrington posted a 75.

Cejka said:

"I can't believe I'm standing with the trophy here.

"Seeing all those great names on the trophy, coming in here with all the pictures and everything, all the guys who won it before me, now holding it myself, it's surreal."

Watch:

The moment Alex Cejka sealed his third Senior Major Championship title #SeniorOpen | #Rolex pic.twitter.com/hlWDjGU5Cz
— Legends Tour (@euLegendsTour) July 30, 202

This was Cejka's third senior major win adding to his victories at the 2021 Tradition and the Senior PGA Championship which was also won in the same year.

Elsewhere, Vijay Singh finished third. There was also a top-10 finish for the Bernhard Langer.

Langer had some interesting things to say about cheating before the major after a tour pro admitted to being dishonest at a PGA Tour Canada event.

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