Padraig Harrington opened the Irish Open with a steady one-over-par 71 amid challenging conditions at Trump International Doonbeg. Marking his 31st consecutive appearance in the tournament—a new record surpassing the previous mark held by Seve Ballesteros—the Irish veteran demonstrated resilience despite a difficult weather-affected start.

Harrington began his round confidently, driving 341 yards off the tee, signaling that his power remains intact. Although he narrowly missed a birdie opportunity on the first hole, he promptly secured a birdie at the second after chipping in from just off the green, delighting spectators early on. The three-time major champion then encountered a stretch without birdies until the 17th hole, during which he dropped two strokes on the 14th and 15th holes—both of which were considered makeable pars. Nonetheless, Harrington maintained composure, producing a solid approach shot on the 16th to set up another birdie before finishing with a bogey on the final hole, leaving him at +1 for the round.

Seamus Power, another prominent Irish competitor, struggled to find rhythm during his opening round. The Waterford native had to rely on timely putts on the first two holes to save par but dropped a shot early on the fifth. After nearly following with another bogey on the sixth, Power recovered with a clutch bunker shot on the seventh, restoring him to even par. A long-range birdie on the 14th helped offset a bogey on the 11th, but late-round difficulties emerged as he carded three bogeys in his final four holes. Power finished at +3, placing himself in a challenging position to make the cut.

Reflecting on his performance, Power acknowledged his struggles from the outset. “I was hanging in there, so it was disappointing to throw a few away at the end,” he said. “It wasn’t my best, and on a day like today you need to play better than I did.”

As the Irish Open progresses, Harrington’s steady start could prove advantageous on a day that favored patience and precision, while Power will need to rebound in the coming rounds to remain in contention.