Harrington, an ambassador for title partner ISPS Handa, is the third Irish winner of the senior open, after Clarke and the late Christy O’Connor JNR, a dual winner.
‘As you get older, you realize many things, [including] Legacy, “he said.
“You want to win on a great golf course such as Sunningdale, you want to do things that stand out and have won the opening, and now winning the senior open, it gives some validation. It is certainly satisfying to do it, expand your career in this way.
“There are a number of great names on the trophy. I looked at the board with all the winners and it is a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that I did both.”
After having ended twice as second, including his senior open debut in 2022, Harrington admitted that the time was when he wanted to become a member of an exclusive club.
“You come to this phase of your career and there is only a certain window,” he added.
“You can win later as a senior, but the window is up to 55-56, they say, so you want to get it done.
“After I had a few second places, I didn’t want to leave it for too long.”
Final round
Starting the day with a two-shot lead after consecutive rounds of 65, Harrington took advantage of finding the green in the first in two by the Putt in Holt for his first eagle of the week to move clearly when playing partner Leonard made a Birdie.
Harrington spoke this week that he did not feel completely comfortable with his game, but his approach game was exceptional in the early stages, creating good Birdie opportunities on the second, third and fourth.
Although he could not benefit from that, the 53-year-old four shots moved ahead with a Birdie Putt of about 15 feet at the sixth.
After a frustrating three-put-boogey on the eighth, Birdied de Korte PAR four ninth to leave the overnant four free at the turn.
Don’t look at Leaderboards
Bjørn played ahead in the group and started a steady start with eight pars in a row, but his round lit around the bend with four birdies in a six-hole piece of the ninth to get short in two of the leadership.
‘I didn’t know [Bjørn] Did it, I never looked at leaderboards, “Harrington said when he was asked how aware he was of the momentum that the Dane was building.
“The only time I saw a leaderboard was 18. I asked Ronan [Flood, his caddie] What was my lead on 17 and never looked at a classification.
“I was fully focused on what I did.”
Harrington always appeared in control and showed his touch around the Green on the PAR five 14th to come up and down for Birdie and to move three again.
While Bjørn lost terrain with his first Bogey of the day on the 16th, Harrington was able to afford to drop a stroke on the 17th after finding the Greenside bunker and still made a lead of three shots like Leonard.
After he found the Fairway on the 18th, he let himself a smile and won the victory with an insured two-putt par when he was met by delicious applause.
Scott Hend finished Solo fourth at 12 after a closing 65, a score matched by Countryman Cameron Percy who was a shot further back next to Ernie Els.
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