IRVINE, Scotland: Ireland’s Padraig Harrington put aside a season marred by injury to muscle his way into a three-shot clubhouse lead with a round of 68 on day two of the Scottish Open at Dundonald Links on Friday.
The 45-year-old will return to Royal Birkdale next week for the British Open, having won his second major title the last time the Southport course hosted the championship in 2008.
Harrington did not drop a shot in managing four birdies, moving to nine under par and clear of American Matt Kuchar.
The three-time major winner’s effort is his lowest opening 36-hole tally since last October when he was 13 under par en route to a 15th Tour win at the Portugal Masters.
Despite undergoing an operation earlier this year on a neck injury he incurred during the Rio Olympics last October and also the scare of a freak elbow injury last month, Harrington says he is not a bit surprised to find himself in contention.
“No, I am not surprised at all to be in this position after what has happened in my season this year,” he said.
“Not even close to being surprised as I know this will happen pretty regularly though I cannot do it on demand so I cannot tell you if it will happen next week or the week after but it will happen.
“It was very much like my win last year in Portugal and then winning the Honda Classic earlier the year before, I will throw in these efforts out-of-the-blue.
“So, I will have tournaments like this where I throw in a few good rounds and get myself into the lead, and who knows what will happen these next two days, but it is not a surprise to me.
“It is just part of the sequence of the ups and downs, and I am just waiting patiently for the ups.”
And it is not lost on Harrington that next week he will return to the scene of his second British Open triumph.
“Who knows what will happen now over the weekend as I may have blown it all come Sunday night as that it is the nature of the game and maybe I am hitting good form a week too early,” he said.
“But it would be a nice buzz going to Royal Birkdale next week as it would be great to win another major, and if I did win next week I would sit here and tell you all the reasons why it will make a difference to me.”
Kuchar had eagled his final hole on day one, and the world number 19 went out on day two to birdie his opening two holes in a round of 70 and be second on six under.
“Overnight momentum can keep going,” said Kuchar.
“Certainly, it was a great way to finish last night. It’s a rare thing to finish with an eagle. It’s a highlight to finish with a birdie, and if you get an eagle, it’s great. Come out, got off to a great start.
“So, it was a great way to get my round going.”
Overnight leader Mikko Ilonen struggled in shooting a two-over 74 and drop back to five under and tied with England’s David Horsey, who capped his round with a hole-in-one at the par-three 11th.
It was Horsey’s fourth hole-in-one on Tour, but unfortunately for the 32-year-old the offer of a new car was at the 15th hole.
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Harrington grabs Scottish Open lead
Harrington grabs Scottish Open lead
The danger is real for Tottenham as specter of Premier League relegation looms
What’s been increasingly apparent to despairing Tottenham fans for some months is now suddenly clear for everyone: their team could genuinely be relegated from the Premier League.
Spurs have been regarded for some time as part of England’s so-called “Big Six” — so much so that they were involved in the quickly aborted Super League project in 2021 — but they aren’t playing like it, at least in the Premier League.
Last season, Tottenham finished in 17th place, one spot above the bottom three, but was never in realistic danger of relegation.
This season, the danger is real. Tottenham is in 16th place but just four points above the relegation zone with 11 rounds remaining and is the only team in the league without a win in 2026 heading into a match at Fulham on Sunday.
The only victories this calendar year have come in the Champions League, which Tottenham finished in the top eight after the first stage to advance directly to the round of 16.
Spurs — the Europa League winners last season — haven’t been able to reproduce their European exploits in the Premier League, with their shortcomings exposed in a 4-1 thrashing by fierce rival Arsenal last weekend. That was Igor Tudor ‘s first match in charge of Tottenham and it laid bare the scale of the task facing the Croatian, who replaced Thomas Frank at the helm.
Tudor has a long injury list to deal with — among the top players on it are James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Lucas Bergvall and Pedro Porro — as well as confidence issues within the squad. Do they have the stomach for a relegation battle?
Also going against Tottenham is the fact that third-to-last West Ham is showing more resilience in recent weeks, losing just one of its eight games in all competitions.
It doesn’t help, either, that while Spurs are at a low ebb, Arsenal is currently the top team in England.
Tottenham has been an ever-present in the Premier League since the competition was founded in 1992, and last played in the second tier in the 1977-78 season.
Key matchups
The title race resumes with first-place Arsenal at home to Chelsea. They recently met over two legs in the English League Cup semifinals and Arsenal won both games.
Manchester City is five points behind in second place, though has a game in hand, and is away to Leeds. That sees City striker Erling Haaland return to the city where he was born.
Players to watch
Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko will be looking to score in a third straight game when Crystal Palace visits Old Trafford. Sesko scored an equalizer against West Ham and then a winner at Everton, both times off the bench.
Out of action
Liverpool manager Arne Slot will hope for positive news about Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz, who missed the win at Nottingham Forest last weekend because of back pain.
Liverpool hosts West Ham on Saturday.
Off the field
It seems Crystal Palace and its manager, Oliver Glasner, are heading toward a messy break-up.
Glasner, who led Palace to its first ever trophy last season by winning the FA Cup, has already confirmed he’s leaving his job at the end of the season and has been non-committal about whether he would even be staying that long.
Fans held up a banner containing the words, “Fans disrespected — Glasner finished” during a match against Wolverhampton last weekend.
Spurs have been regarded for some time as part of England’s so-called “Big Six” — so much so that they were involved in the quickly aborted Super League project in 2021 — but they aren’t playing like it, at least in the Premier League.
Last season, Tottenham finished in 17th place, one spot above the bottom three, but was never in realistic danger of relegation.
This season, the danger is real. Tottenham is in 16th place but just four points above the relegation zone with 11 rounds remaining and is the only team in the league without a win in 2026 heading into a match at Fulham on Sunday.
The only victories this calendar year have come in the Champions League, which Tottenham finished in the top eight after the first stage to advance directly to the round of 16.
Spurs — the Europa League winners last season — haven’t been able to reproduce their European exploits in the Premier League, with their shortcomings exposed in a 4-1 thrashing by fierce rival Arsenal last weekend. That was Igor Tudor ‘s first match in charge of Tottenham and it laid bare the scale of the task facing the Croatian, who replaced Thomas Frank at the helm.
Tudor has a long injury list to deal with — among the top players on it are James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Lucas Bergvall and Pedro Porro — as well as confidence issues within the squad. Do they have the stomach for a relegation battle?
Also going against Tottenham is the fact that third-to-last West Ham is showing more resilience in recent weeks, losing just one of its eight games in all competitions.
It doesn’t help, either, that while Spurs are at a low ebb, Arsenal is currently the top team in England.
Tottenham has been an ever-present in the Premier League since the competition was founded in 1992, and last played in the second tier in the 1977-78 season.
Key matchups
The title race resumes with first-place Arsenal at home to Chelsea. They recently met over two legs in the English League Cup semifinals and Arsenal won both games.
Manchester City is five points behind in second place, though has a game in hand, and is away to Leeds. That sees City striker Erling Haaland return to the city where he was born.
Players to watch
Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko will be looking to score in a third straight game when Crystal Palace visits Old Trafford. Sesko scored an equalizer against West Ham and then a winner at Everton, both times off the bench.
Out of action
Liverpool manager Arne Slot will hope for positive news about Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz, who missed the win at Nottingham Forest last weekend because of back pain.
Liverpool hosts West Ham on Saturday.
Off the field
It seems Crystal Palace and its manager, Oliver Glasner, are heading toward a messy break-up.
Glasner, who led Palace to its first ever trophy last season by winning the FA Cup, has already confirmed he’s leaving his job at the end of the season and has been non-committal about whether he would even be staying that long.
Fans held up a banner containing the words, “Fans disrespected — Glasner finished” during a match against Wolverhampton last weekend.
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