Pádraig Harrington has treatment for aches and pains following his T9 finish in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open. Picture via Twitter

Pádraig Harrington shrugged off a neck injury to clinch his first top-10 finish for almost two years as Aaron Rai drew strength from his Dubai Duty Free Irish Open near-miss to snatch the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open in a playoff.

Just a week after a 72nd hole bogey saw him lose out to John Catlin at Galgorm Castle, the Englishman (25) made eight birdies in a seven-under par 64 at The Renaissance Club to come from five shots behind overnight leader Robert Rock and set the clubhouse target at 11-under.

As Rock bogeyed the last, carding a 70 to finish third on 10-under, Rai was joined in sudden-death by world No 17 Tommy Fleetwood, who made a 15 footer for a closing 67.

Returning to the 18th for the playoff, Rai drove into a fairway bunker but got up and down from just short of the green for par as Fleetwood three-putted from the apron, missing from inside three feet to extend their battle.

It was an expensive mistake for Fleetwood, who had to settle for a cheque for €630,463 as Rai’s second European Tour win and his first Rolex Series triumph netted him €974,352 and catapulted him into the top-five on the Race to Dubai and the top 100 in the world.

"It's a dream come true,” said Rai, who drew on his Irish Open experience to clinch the biggest win of his career. “It was invaluable, really... I would probably go so far as to say without last week, this week wouldn't have happened.”

Harrington (49) made the cut on the mark but despite adding a neck twinge to a list of ailments that also includes a sore knee and ankle, he made key putts to chisel out a four-under 67 and finish tied ninth (€107,866) on seven-under.

“I was happy with the round,” said Harrington, who came home in 31 as he eagled the 16th thanks to a 271-yard, downhill, downwind four-iron to three feet. “I tweaked my neck before I went out and I struggled to hit the golf ball all day. I really struggled with my alignment because I couldn't look up properly. So that put me off most of the day but I stuck in there and managed my way around the golf course and I putted quite well.

“I am really happy that I putted well because that has been pretty weak for a good few years so I saw some positive signs in my putting this week that I was very happy about. I would have liked to have been injury-free today to give it a good run but I probably got the most out of the round that I could have.”

Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open winner Aaron Rai. Picture: Getty

The Dubliner later posted a picture of him having treatment on his neck as well as his right knee. His ankle has also been giving him trouble recently.

“It was such a minor little tweak. I get this wiith my neck. I thought I'd warm up through it and run it off and it was really affecting my ability to look up,” he said. “There was pain when I swung the golf club but that didn't bother me. When I was standing over the ball, I had to move my whole body rather than just my head so it freaked me out big time all day.

“It was quite a bit of perseverance out there, sticking in there. No doubt, holing a couple of par putts at the right time really did keep the round going. It was a good day on the greens that saved it.”

As for the eagle on the 16th, he said: “I hit a nice drive down the middle that hit a soft spot. I had 271 yards with a four iron downwind, downhill. There were three balls down there and we are never sure which is which so to go down to find it three feet away, it must have had a chance of going in. it was a nice shot but because I was so far back it was running in so you had to take a bit of chance and it was nice to find it three feet away. The play was good and I showed some very nice signs throughout the week. Driving wise and putting wise.”

The Dubliner is not 100 per cent sure how much golf he can play due to the COVID-19 pandemic but having initially said he was unsure if he would travel to Scotland, he is now looking forward to playing this week’s BMW PGA at Wentworth, even if he is suffering from aches and pains.

On his game, he said: “I still need to play more and I am not sure where that is going to be going forward but lots of good stuff in it.”

As for his physical problems, he joked: “I am the walking wounded at the moment. As my caddie pointed out to me, if I was a horse, I would have to hope I am put out to pasture.”

Player Quotes

Aaron Rai: "It's incredible. I played a lot in Scotland growing up, dreamed of playing in a European Tour event in Scotland. To be able to play in it was incredible a couple of years ago and to be able to go still further is an incredible feeling.

"I didn't really see many leaderboards all the way around. I knew we had to play well and knew we had to cope pushing forwards but luckily I had a good couple of breaks and also played very well, so I'm very pleased.

"It's a dream come true. If I'm honest, to win any event on the European Tour is amazing. You have to play some world-class golf, but for it to be a Rolex Series with the class of field that was this week is deeply satisfying, and yeah, incredibly pleased.

"The Race to Dubai wasn't something I was thinking of, or certainly winning it wasn't something I was thinking of before this week.

"Any time you're up there in the Race to Dubai, whether it's winning it, whether it's in the top three, top five, it shows a great degree of consistency with some really top results, as well. So still a long way to go in the season but it's a great spot to be in."

Tommy Fleetwood: “I hit a poor putt and that's the end of it, really. Aaron played 72 holes very, very good, and it was Aaron's time and Aaron's week. Congratulations to him.

“Obviously, I'd have loved it to have been me, but overall looking back at the week, there's so many putts that probably cost me being further in the tournament but that's golf. There's a lot of asset in the game that you have to do well to win, and you know, yeah, one putt on 18 on the 72nd hole, putting cost me at the end. But that's life and try again next week.

“I played really, really good, especially the back nine today, felt really in control of my game, and you know, end of the day, finish second -- nobody beat me over 72 holes and like I say, it was Aaron's time and that's how it goes.”