Harry Happy with Major Haul

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Padraig Harrington, who once won three major titles in the space of 13 months, insists he will be happy with his career if he never wins another.

Harrington won the Open in 2007 at Carnoustie and became the first European to successfully defend the title since 1906 when he triumphed again 12 months later at Birkdale.

When he also won the US PGA Championship three weeks later it meant the Dubliner had won three of the last six major championships contested, but that victory at Oakland Hills remains his last in any tournament on a major worldwide golf tour.

The 41-year-old has certainly not given up trying, finishing eighth in the Masters and fourth in the US Open respectively last year, but has come to realise that he already has plenty to be proud of.

"That's my one piece of advice whenever I see someone win a major. I remind them this isn't going to happen every week. Make the most of when it happens and enjoy it," Harrington said ahead of next week's Open at Muirfield, where he finished one shot outside the play-off in 2002.

"They don't happen as often as you think they will happen, even in a great career. If you look at my contemporaries, Tiger has actually won 14, and then you've got Ernie (Els) and Phil (Mickelson) have won four, but you really don't win that many majors. That's the way of the world.

"I played a practice round with Nick Faldo at Augusta one year and he had already got his sixth major, and he's working so hard on the golf course. I asked him why and he's just trying to win one more.

"I hope I'm not that person, that I can enjoy the three I've won as much as I'm trying to win as many more as I can. You do have to stand back at times and say three is pretty good, let's enjoy that.

"I'm always going to give it 100 per cent. Some kids you need to give a kick up the backside to get them out there to work.

"I'm the opposite; I need to taper things down. In order to get four and five and six and seven, I need to accept that I've done well as it is. The fourth one is not going to make the first three any better."

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Route 64 in Scotland for Maybhin

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Gareth Maybin take the clubhouse lead on day three of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open after a round of 64 and advanced to 13 under par for the week with eight birdies, two bogeys and an eagle at the long sixth.

“It was pretty much flawless apart from I guess the two bogeys,” said Maybin, who finished tied for eighth in France last weekend. “I played great golf, flagged it all day and made a bunch of putts.

“I’m over the moon. Very, very solid this morning and absolutely perfect conditions in sunny Scotland, which was nice.”

Maybin joins American Peter Uihlein and Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin.

Henrik Stenson fired a six-under-par 66 to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.

The resurgent Swede dropped his only shot of the day at the ninth before coming home in 32, culminating in a birdie at the 18th, to reach 16-under-par for the event.

Stenson was backing up Friday's sizzling 64 and has now made just one bogey in his last 47 holes.

Phil Mickelson, John Parry and Branden Grace all matched Stenson's 66 to leave themselves two back and they were joined by Denmark's JB Hansen, who handed in a 69.

Mickelson, who is yet to win in Europe, began the day four back and finally got going after seven successive pars in a blemish-free round.

"The last 11 holes were a lot of fun," said the 43-year-old American. "The first seven holes I got off to a bit of a slow start and I was really behind when I needed to make up ground.

"On the eighth I tried to slow it down and be patient, got one putt to drop and that seemed to ignite the rest of the round. I think I will be a couple back but I've got myself in a good position for tomorrow and I am really looking forward to it.

"Any victory over here would be terrific but we are getting ahead of ourselves.

"There's a packed leaderboard so it will take one good round of a shootout between 15 and 20 guys that are right there. Being in position and shooting that good round today feels terrific but I've got to go out tomorrow and duplicate it."

Unheralded Scotsman Chris Doak backed out of contention after leading by one at halfway and after a 73 finds himself five shots off the pace, while Ross Fisher, who began the day one behind Doak, also went the wrong way with a 73 that included no fewer than six bogeys.

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McGrane in Scottish Open Mix

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Damien McGrane is four shots off the lead on eight under after the second round of the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.

Open champion Ernie Els admitted he was glad to miss the cut in the Scottish Open, just days before the defence of his title at Muirfield, as unheralded Scot Chris Doak claimed a one-shot lead at Castle Stuart.

Els made an early exit after a second round of 70 left him two under par, 10 shots behind Doak and two outside the cut mark after another day of low scoring in perfect conditions.

"I thought I played quite well today but I had no idea on these greens so I am glad I am leaving to get on some other greens," the 43-year-old South African said.

"A missed cut is not great but we have had a great time here. I did not get the run of the course, it felt like it was against me, but I am playing nicely and gave myself a lot of opportunities.

"My game is where I want it to be. It did not quite go my way these last two days and I made a couple of silly errors, soft bogeys, yesterday. It's not the first cut I've missed and it won't be the last."

Doak, who previously made headlines in Scotland after blaming a bad night's sleep at a tournament in 2011 on his dog's flatulence, is playing only his second full season on the European Tour at the age of 35.

But the Glaswegian carded a second consecutive 66 to finish one shot ahead of English pair Matthew Southgate and Ross Fisher, American Peter Uihleinand Denmark's JB Hansen, with world number eight Phil Mickelson four off the lead on eight under after a 70.

"The first time around on the European Tour I was still wet behind the ears but the Challenge Tour definitely taught me how to play four rounds and handle the travel," said Doak, whose previous biggest payday of £28,000 is dwarfed by the first prize this week of £500,000.

"It's a tough environment because there are a lot of great players out there and you need to be consistent because there is not as much money. But anything that's worth learning takes time and hopefully it's coming together now.

"It's fantastic to shoot 66 and follow it up with another one and I'm really pleased."

Southgate was working in Pockets snooker club in Southend just three years ago - he has three centuries to his name - and made only three halfway cuts from 11 European Tour events last year, but is relishing the task ahead this weekend.

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McDowell Regrets Scottish Open Remarks

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Graeme McDowell has apologised to the sponsors of the Scottish Open for criticising Castle Stuart as the host venue for the tournament.

McDowell believes the event has lost much of its prestige since moving to the course close to Inverness in 2011 after 15 years at Loch Lomond.

Martin Gilbert, chief executive of Scottish Open sponsor Aberdeen Asset Management, announced that McDowell had spoken to him to apologise for his comments.

Gilbert said: "Graeme contacted me to apologise and he's not the first person to say something they regret, so we've got no problems whatsoever with him.

"My hope it that he will play Royal Aberdeen next year after saying what a great golf course it is.

"He took the time to get in touch and I really admire him for that. He said we should catch up at The Open for a chat and I was impressed with how he had handled the situation.

"In fairness, Graeme has a point to a certain extent in terms of old and new links courses.

"But I'm firmly of the view that the Scottish Open should be played on a links course and, for Scottish golf to be trying to sell itself as a global brand, if we don't play this event on links course it would be crazy.

"It's a pity the French and the Irish opens aren't the other way around as you could possibly have three events - the Irish, Scottish and The Open - all being played on links courses."

McDowell had said: "No disrespect to the Scottish Open as I love that event but it has lost its prestige.

"Castle Stuart probably hasn't been a strong enough course the past couple of years.

"Let's get the Scottish Open on a phenomenal links course with a great purse and a world-class field."

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McNamara Shines in Silkeborg

Ireland are in a strong position to claim a top flight spot at the European Amateur Team Championships, at Silkeborg in Denmark after a solid opening day performance.

Bidding to regain the title they last held in 2008, Ireland ended the day tied third with Scotland knowing another reasonable display today will take them into the last eight for the matchplay phase.

With five of their six cards counting, they finished on 371, 11 over par, 10 shots behind leaders France and three adrift of second-placed Germany.

Headfort’s Rory McNamara was Ireland’s standout performer with his two-under 70, including five birdies on the back nine.

Dubliner Paul Dunne who set a new course record at Princes in Kent during last month’sAmateur Championship, was one under on the final tee, but slumped to a double bogey six to finish on 73.

Mourne’s Reeve Whitson and Jack Hume both carded 75. Whitson produced a solid start, but a double bogey at the long par five fifth threatened to disrupt his rhythm. He recovered to shoot 11 straight pars before a bogey at the 17th.

An eventful final five holes saw Hume card four bogeys and one birdie.

Kevin Phelan, was left frustrated with his round of 78. Phelan who qualified for last month’s US Open and then completed all four rounds, triple bogeyed the fourth and never recovered, while Gavin Monyihan shot the highest score of the day, a disappointing 79.

Today the 16 teams are split into flights, with only the top eight sides able to then go on to possible glory.