Opening tee shot

Two-time Champion Golfer of the Year Padraig Harrington has hailed the chance to hit opening tee shot at The 153rd Open as 'a great honour' - and hopes it can kickstart a tilt at a third Claret Jug.

Harrington will follow in the footsteps of Darren Clarke, who hit the first shot at Royal Portrush six years ago, and the likes of Paul Lawrie, Matthew Jordan and Justin Leonard in recent years.

The Irishman will be on the 1st tee at 6:35am on Thursday alongside two playing partners, with the rest of the draw to be announced at 2pm on Tuesday.

“It’s a great honour to be asked and being here in Portrush, it’s very nice," he said on Live At The Range, on R&A TV.

"I still think I’m a player but I’m quite happy to take the ceremonial position of hitting the first shot. It will be nerve-wracking, the first hole at Portrush is never a pleasant experience in a championship. It doesn’t matter where it goes, they will only show me, so there will be a definite effort to pose no matter where it’s gone."

The 53-year-old is the most recent player to win back-to-back Open Championships, doing so in 2007 and 2008, and would be the oldest ever winner of the Claret Jug were he to roll back the years this week.

He believes he is capable of doing just that and added: “I have to create my own reality and in my reality I can win. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, I think I can do it. I have to prepare like I’m coming down the 18^th on Sunday and have to hit a couple of great shots to win The Open.

"That is what is in my head for the week and I am trying to get myself in that headspace that everything is leading to Sunday afternoon. I mightn’t get there but if I do get there in contention, I have to prepare for it."

Harrington is one of five players from the island of Ireland in the field, with fellow Champion Golfers Clarke, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, and Tom McKibbin.

And much like his compatriot McIlroy, who spoke this week about embracing his status as a home favourite, Harrington is focusing on enjoyment as well as the outcome.

"When you are a young man, you come to these and you are very professional and diligent," he said.

"As you get older, you can’t keep up that intensity or pace so you make more of an effort to enjoy it. I certainly enjoy these weeks and enjoy meeting friends I haven’t seen for a while. I’m not fully relaxed but I am more relaxed than I would have been 10 years ago."