Harrington six back in Phoenix as McDowell shows signs of life in Hong Kong
Phachara Khongwatmai pictured during Round Two of the Hong Kong Open on 10 November, 2023 at the Hong Kong Golf Club. Picture by Asian Tour.
Ernie Els showed Padraig Harrington a clean pair of heels after the opening round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Arizona.
‘The Big Easy’ (54) made eight birdies in a bogey-free 63 at Phoenix Country Club to lead the season-ending event by two shots from Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, Canad’as Stephen Ames and Texan Harrison Frazar with Harrington tied 16th, six shots off the pace after a 69.
“Well, I mean, if you look at that cup, there's some serious names on there, everything from Tom Watson, Tom Lehman, Bernhard, all of these great players,” Els said.
“Love to get a trophy at the end of the year obviously. We've got a long way to go, I don't think I'm going to think about it maybe until Sunday afternoon if I'm in contention, but just to play good this week and try to finish off a pretty steady year would be great.”
Els took confidence from his tie for fourth behind Harrington in last week’s Timber Tech Championship in Florida and he’d love to claim a fourth PGA TOUR Champions win having already captured the Hoag Championship this season.
He’d also love to end the year on a high having enjoyed South Africa’s win in the Rugby World Cup.
“One point quarterfinals, one point semifinals, one point final, the world champion,” Els said of the Springboks’ wins over France, England and New Zealand in the knockout stages. “So the world champs for the next four years. I'm really happy for them.”
Harrington is seeking back-to-back wins but he has work to do after mixing four birdies with two bogeys in his 69.
“Not a great round today,” tweeted Harrington, who was three-under par after 12 holes before sandwiching a birdie two at the 15th between bogeys at the short 13th and par-five 18th. “I’m glad it’s 72 holes this week.”
Darren Clarke was tied 32nd in the 35-man field on one-over after a 72.
Meanwhile, Graeme McDowell fired a five-under 65 to move to within four shots of Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai in the Asian Tour’s Hong Kong Open.
Khongwatmai fired a seven-under 63 to lead by one shot on 12-under-par from former Open champion Cameron Smith and Korea’s Sangmoon Bae.
McDowell is tied for 11th on eight-under while Bandon’s Brian O’Donovan shot 67 to make the two-under-par cut on the mark.
On the PGA TOUR, Sweden’s Alex Noren fired a 10-under 61 at Port Royal to lead the Butterfield Bermuda Championship by two strokes from Vince Whaley, Robert Garrigus, Dylan Wu and DJ Trahan before play was suspended due to darkness.
Noren is seeking his first PGA TOUR win in an event won last year by Seamus Power.
Power is recovering from a hip injury but reports excellent progress as he looks to return to action in January.
