"It was so much fun."
Shane Lowry and Padraig Harrington will be hoping organisers pair them up more often
after they has a time of it at Kiawah Island, on Sunday.
The Irish duo were in their respective elements as they went around the tough Ocean Course in dual rounds of 69, to finish in a tie for fourth place.
Harrington was somewhat of a 'heater' for his playing partners at the 2021 PGA Championship. He was paired with Phil Mickelson on Thursday and Friday, and he carded rounds of 70 and 69 to go into the lead of a tournament he would eventually clinch.
Harrington and Matt Fitzpatrick went out together on Saturday and the Englishman carded 72 to give himself an outside chance of chasing Mickelson on the final day.
On Sunday, with was Lowry and Harrington and both men made hay. Speaking to reporters after his round, Lowry was practically beaming.
He commented:
"When Paddy chipped in on 14, I was like, 'Ooh, Paddy has got a chance here!'
"I was kind of trying to cheer him on and play my own game, but honestly playing with Paddy today was one of the best rounds of golf I've ever had. It was so much fun.
"The two of us had that coming off, we're obviously grinding it out to beat each other and trying to do well in the tournament... it was one of the best days I've had on the golf course. I played lovely golf again and very happy going into my week off now."
With both men shooting low while others faltered, they ended up with Top 5 finishes that are massive shots in the arm for the rest of 2021.
"It's been a long time since I've been interviewed and been asked about my golf rather than The Ryder Cup," Harrington remarked. "So for today, at least, I'm back to being a golfer."
In terms of what their super Sunday finishes mean for Lowry and Harrington, in terms of points, rankings and money, let us take a close look.
PRIZE MONEY
- Both men took home $462,250 for their Tied-4th finish
- Phil Mickelson got a winners' cheque of $2,160,000
WORLD RANKINGS
- Lowry is up from 48th to 44th
- Harrington is up from 257th to 141st
- Mickelson is up from 115th in the world to 32nd
RYDER CUP POINTS
- Lowry is up from 13th to 10th in the 'World Points' list (Up to 14th in 'European Points' list)
- Harrington is up from 76th to 24th in the 'World Points' list (Up to 34th in 'European Points' list)
- Mickelson is up to 16th in the US list
While Lowry says he would not put it past Harrington being one hell of a captain's pick for The Ryder Cup, the captain of Team Europe demurred at such chat.
"I'm well past that time,"
said Harrington. "I'm too long in the tooth now at this stage, sweating through five rounds of golf and all that goes with it.
"I'm very much dedicated to being the captain. I'm letting other people have their time. I've had mine."
