Padraig Harrington sits one stroke behind Alex Cejka at the Senior Open

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Padraig Harrington is a grasp of hyperlinks golf, particularly in windy situations.

On a gusty day when no one broke par at The Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales, Harrington made an electrifying eagle on the 18th gap to shoot up the leaderboard. He is only one stroke behind Alex Jejka of Germany heading into Sunday’s closing spherical.

The Irishman’s unimaginable three on the final marked the second time he made an eagle Saturday.

He additionally eagled the par-5 sixth, which helped offset the 4 bogeys Harrington made on the entrance facet.

Later, Harrington bounced again with birdies on the twelfth and 14th holes. By the point he obtained to the fifteenth tee, he was even-par for the day.

Padraig Harrington, The Senior Open, Wales

BRIDGEND, Wales — Padraig Harrington throughout The Senior Open Offered by Rolex at Royal Porthcawl Golf Membership on July 28, 2023.
Photograph by Phil Inglis/Getty Pictures

However a double-bogey on the sixteenth offset these par-breakers.

Then he did what he did on the 18th, as his 9-iron was maybe the shot of the day.

“Clearly a giant break on the final,” Harrington mentioned after his spherical, per the Irish Unbiased. “I hit 3-wood [off-the-tee], then 9-iron to 5 toes. It was inches. I used to be going to hit the putt left lip, and I used to be standing over, and it was blowing and blowing. I attempted to hit it left half, most likely hit it straight, and simply obtained in the correct facet.”

When he walked off the course, his scores totaled an even-par 71, tied for one of the best spherical of the day. Harrington is tied with Vijay Singh, Philip Archer, and Steven Alker at 1-over for the championship.

The 2-time winner of The Open now has a wonderful alternative to win The Senior Open for the primary time.

Curiously, per the DP World Tour, no one broke par in the course of the third spherical of The Open in 2008 at Royal Birkdale. Harrington went on to win the Claret Jug the subsequent day.

That occasion had not occurred on both the PGA Tour or Champions Tour till Saturday at Royal Porthcawl, so maybe destiny is on Harrington’s facet.

If Harrington does go on to win Sunday, it will be an effective way to rejoice his birthday. He turns 52 on Monday, so maybe he might start the festivities a day early by successful at Royal Porthcawl.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By. You’ll be able to observe him on Twitter @jack_milko for extra golf protection. Make sure to take a look at @_PlayingThrough too.