British Open at Portrush starts with an Irish cheer. That’s how the last one ended

PORTRUSH – The British Open at Royal Portrush started Thursday the way the last one ended: A packed grandstand and throaty cheers for an Irish golfer.

Padraig Harrington, a two-time Open champion, hit the opening shot of the 153rd edition of golf’s oldest championship with a piercing iron into the wind off the North Atlantic, between pot bunkers on both sides and into the fairway.

The Open returns to Royal Portrush after only six years. The final stroke in 2019 was a tap-in par for Shane Lowry of Ireland for his first major title.

Harrington was the last to arrive on the first tee, the silver claret jug positioned to the left to remind players what’s at stake this year. He raised his cap, appreciating the gesture of the R&A to offer him the opening shot.

And then he produced an even louder cheer when he holed a 15-foot birdie putt.

It’s only a start to the longest day in golf — the first shot was 6:35 a.m. local time. The final group won’t finished until around 9:30 p.m.

Rory McIlroy is the star attraction in his native Northern Ireland. His major championship season began with him wearing the Masters green jacket with hopes of ending it cradling the claret jug. He was among the late starters on Thursday.

The morning wave featured Scottie Scheffler, the PGA champion and world’s No. 1 player for the last two years, and defending Open champion Xander Schauffele, who is trying to become the first player since Harrington (2007-08) to win the Open in consecutive years.

This is only the third time Royal Portrush has hosted the Open, the first one coming in 1951 for a club that dates to 1888.

The forecast for the week is mixed, a term in these parts that roughly translates to expect just about everything. Harrington led off under streaks of sunshine before the wind ushered in clouds.

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf