Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images

What Stewart Cink said about Padraig Harrington after the Irishman’s US Senior Open win

Originally posted on HITC | By James Shearman | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 10:22 AM ET

Padraig Harrington had to put in a serious effort to win the US Senior Open, defeating Stewart Cink by a single shot.

In a week marked by a heated exchange with a reporter, Harrington was able to leave that controversy behind and add another trophy to his impressive senior career.

His play and presence became major talking points throughout the tournament, and he earned praise from fellow golfers.

‘I admire the way he kind of treats golf’, says Stewart Cink on Padraig Harrington

After the final round, Cink spoke glowingly about Harrington, highlighting more than just his skills on the course.

“Yeah, he’s the ultimate competitor and a quality individual,” Cink said. “I have the highest respect for his game and for him as a person.

“Even though he’s a peer, he’s a guy I’ve always also looked up to because I’ve played with him so much, and I admire the way he kind of treats golf the way I want to treat golf myself.

“He’s in the present. He never gives up. He’s always got a good attitude. That’s the hallmark of a high-quality player for a long time, and that’s what he is.”

Padraig Harrington explains how the atmosphere changed with Stewart Cink in the final round

Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images

On Sunday, Harrington and Cink spent the final round battling not just each other, but also the pressure of major contention.

They seemed relaxed in the beginning, but suddenly the laughs stopped and everyone noticed the tension building in the air.

“I don’t know if we stopped talking. We just got busy,” Harrington explained. “There was one stage on the front nine, I forget, we had to full-on belly laugh, we were joking away about things. We were very relaxed. Mark Hensby was very good to play with as well.

“On the back nine, we got busier. Obviously, the guys in front of us got put on the clock. So then we got pushed onto the clock.

When you’re on the clock, you have to be right on top of things and pay attention. There’s not a lot of conversation in those couple of holes.

After Cink missed his par putt on the 18th, Harrington was able to two-putt for the win – and the two competitors shook hands, bringing a hard-fought final round to a respectful end.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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