From Dubai’s fairways to Senior glory: Harrington’s winning spirit shines bright

Padraig Harrington’s relationship with Dubai and the UAE golf community is long-standing and celebrated.

Since his early appearances in the Dubai Desert Classic, finishing as a runner-up in 2001 behind Thomas Bjørn, to competing as recently as January 2025, the Irishman has been a familiar and admired presence at the region’s premier golf events.

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His repeated visits over more than two decades underscore his commitment to the Middle East’s growing golf scene and its passionate fans.

This close connection to Dubai’s golf culture adds a special resonance to his latest triumph at the U.S. Senior Open, where Harrington, now 53, demonstrated once again why he remains one of the sport’s most compelling competitors.

Walking down the 18th fairway at the challenging Broadmoor course, Harrington faced a critical decision: play conservatively and risk the course’s tricky, undulating greens, or attack aggressively and take control of his fate.

“Sometimes playing it safe is not the right option,” the former Ryder Cup Captain said, recalling advice from golf legend Hale Irwin: “When in doubt, it’s always better to play the shot you’d play if you were losing by a stroke.”

His decision paid off as rival Stewart Cink, trailing by a single stroke and playing ahead, found his approach shot spin back from a ledge, leaving a challenging 35-foot putt that narrowly missed. With both players on the green, Harrington’s composed two-putt par sealed his second U.S. Senior Open title in just four years, finishing at 11-under 209, one shot ahead of Cink.

The moment on the 18th brought a lighthearted pause, and a bit of camaraderie, as Harrington courteously marked his ball so Cink could finish his putt first, before tapping in to claim victory.

“It kind of validates your career,” Harrington said of the win. “It validates the past in a lot of ways. You're reliving the past glories, hitting shots, and waving at the crowds. People are coming out because they know you from the past.”

For Stewart Cink, the loss was a tough pill to swallow. The 52-year-old former major champion from the 2009 British Open fought valiantly through a final day packed with lead changes and drama. Despite hitting more greens than anyone else over the tournament, missed putts on the critical 16th and 17th holes kept him from forcing extra drama.

Other notable contenders included Miguel Angel Jimenez, another popular figure in UAE golf circles, who electrified the crowd with an eight-birdie charge, though a wayward tee shot on the 18th dashed his hopes of a comeback.

Harrington’s precise play, particularly his daring approach on the final hole, was a fitting finale to a tournament that has seen him grow as a senior golf icon who still boasts the energy and competitiveness of today’s game.

For golf fans in Dubai and across the UAE, Harrington’s ongoing presence is a reminder of the global connections that enrich the local golf scene.

As the region continues to host world-class events like the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the DP World Tour Championship, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, where Harrington has competed consistently in for over two decades, his recent victory reinforces the importance of passion both on the local courses and on the grand stages of senior golf.