Padraig Harrington's strong self-criticism after squandering major opportunity
Padraig Harrington has put his agonising Senior PGA Championship near-miss down to carelessness and overconfidence.
Harrington, who has banked three major titles and a senior major title in a stellar career, was left frustrated with himself after a double-bogey four shots from home allowed Angel Cabrera to steal ahead for the crown at Congressional Country Club.The 53-year-old was firmly on course to claim his first victory of the year when he cruised into a two-shot lead with four holes to go on Sunday - calmly sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on 14 despite bird droppings on his putting line. "I wasn't sure how much I could scrape it. I know you can brush it off, but I had to actually scrape it off the green," recalled Harrington.But then he blew it with a double-bogey on 15, a par on the par-five 16th and a three-putt bogey on 18. "I just think the tee shot on 15 was too easy," he said. "I was careless."Cabrera, who relied heavily on the putter on Saturday and Sunday, seized the opportunity to claim his second senior major after his triumph at last week's The Tradition. Harrington had to settle for tied second with Thomas Bjorn, picking up a cheque for $378,000.Harrington lamented his late round mistakes as Cabrera was still finishing his round and he knew where his downfall happened. "I've had a lifelong problem with getting confident and cocky and I did on the 15 tee box," said the Rathmichael golfer of the par-four where he made double-bogey."It was such a simple tee shot, a five wood - a little draw down there - and I just totally didn't get into it enough and then panicked at the last moment and hit a big hook.
"It's always plagued me my whole life since I've been a kid. I just get overconfident and just don't...I'd be much better off if I got to the 15th hole and there was water everywhere, I probably would've done a better job."I just sometimes – it follows me around – that I can get overconfident. If I had the ability to do what I say I'd be the best player in the world but unfortunately I don't."I lost a tournament when I was 18 years of age back - the Irish Youth - and I did the exact same thing. Two ahead with three to play and relaxed. I'm much better off with nerves and tension."Harrington went on to compare his meltdown on the 15th to what occurred in The Open in Carnoustie in 2007 when he double-bogeyed the last but still managed to win his first major title by rallying to defeat Sergio Garcia in a playoff."I was just relaxed on 15," he said. "I did it on the 18th tee, 72nd hole at Carnoustie. Couldn't see myself hitting a bad shot - that was the exact same. Stood there so confident, and at the last moment I had a little bit of doubt."When I went to the playoff I was at a two-shot lead playing the fourth playoff hole at Carnoustie. That's all I kept telling myself, walking from the 17th to the 18th, because I'd done it again for the eight-footer for birdie on the third playoff hole. Lost all the intensity."I kept telling myself I could still lose. I'm the only person that has to walk on to the tee and I'm trying to get myself going by saying, 'it's not over'. Whereas I think on 15 (on Sunday) I am relaxed - not that you think it's over, but I just rushed into the shot and it was just that I didn't give it its due respect."If you start off with doubt, when you feel doubt over the ball it doesn't feel so bad. If you start off confident then you feel doubt it's like a blow-up. So, yeah, so I was just too confident. It happens."
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