Padraig and Tiger face the press

Fergus Bisset reports from Turnberry as Padraig Harrington and Tiger Woods face the press - the former typically candid about his chances of winning the Open Championship, the latter typically guarded.

Padraig Harrington faces the Open press
Fergus Bisset
By
published

I’ve just come out of the conference room where Padraig Harrington has been speaking very candidly about his chances this week.

“I’ll be honest, if there was a way I could push the Open back by a few weeks, I would.” He said. “But I can’t so I just have to play the hand I’m dealt come Thursday afternoon.”

It’s refreshing to hear one of the top pros giving such honest answers to questions about their game. I was concerned the whole conference could turn a little sour early doors when the very first question asked was, “Padraig, would you explain why you’ve been playing so poorly lately?” But the defending champion took it in his stride and dealt with all comers extremely eloquently. He still believes he can win this week if he gets in position to contest it down the stretch. But, in his own words, the question is “can he get in the position to contest it down the stretch?”

Just after the Irishman, world number one Tiger Woods came in to the conference centre. Things started off interestingly as so many people piled into the room that the floor gave way. Woods is renowned for keeping things close to his chest and giving very little away to the press. That trait seemed to be continuing early in the questioning. When one of the UK journos asked which of the Brits might have a chance to taste Major success, he simply answered, “There are a bunch of guys.” Thanks for that Tiger.

But, as the conference went on, Tiger let slip that he does have a sense of humour. When asked if he would like to emulate Greg Norman’s performance at Birkdale last year and compete in a Major at the age of 53, he replied “I’d just like to be above dirt.” Then when a Japanese correspondent asked what Tiger thought the first two rounds would be like playing with teenage sensation Ryo Ishikawa, Tiger answered. “I think it’s going to be real quiet.” For an American he has a pretty good sense of sarcasm.

Where next?

- Open history and records - More golf blogs from Turnberry - Thursday and Friday tee times 

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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