McGinley happy for Harrington

By Brian Keogh

Paul McGinley feels bad for Ryder Cup team mate Sergio Garcia after his Open defeat.

But he's pleased as punch for pal Padraig Harrington.

As he headed to Germany for this week's Deutsche Bank Players' Championship of Europe in Hamburg, McGinley said: "I can’t tell you how pleased I was for Padraig and to have an Irish winner of the Open Championship.

"To win a British Open Championship, you don't get bigger than that.

"But at the same time I felt desperately sad for Sergio as I know how much it means to him to win the Open.

"So my happiness for Padraig was slightly hampered by the disappointment I felt for Sergio."

Playing in the group behind Harrington on Sunday, McGinley admitted that he found it hard to concentrate as he cheered for his old school chum.

He said: "Of course I did. I could see all the shots he hit and the putts he was holing.

"It was a zoo out there at the end. But I will know better the next time.

"As for me, it was a good week. I hit the ball extremely well. Bar the first seven holes on the first day and the last day I played well.

"But that's six shots dropped and I didn't do it for 72 holes. It could have been a better week but it wasn't and that's the way.

"I didn’t feel like I played badly but my score just wasn’t good enough. A price to pay by having a slow front nine holes much the same as my second round and perhaps that is what cost me winning the Open."