An N.C. home for Harrington

Open champ to build house in Tryon

Sometime, perhaps soon, British Open champion Padraig Harrington will pack his golf bags and head for the foothills of North Carolina.

A native of Dublin, Ireland, Harrington plans to also have an American home at Tryon's new White Oak golf and equestrian community, White Oak marketing director Mark Wishart said.

Harrington couldn't be reached for comment, but Wishart said the 35-year-old Open champ connected in 2006 with White Oak's owners, who also are Irish, bought a lot and plans to build this year.

North Carolinians are already claiming the Irish icon, who will bring his wife, Caroline, and his son, Patrick, with him.

Gene Kinsella, a White Oak owner, said plans are under way to make Harrington an honorary citizen of Polk County on one of the golfer's next visits.

"He spends half his time [playing] in the States,'' said Kinsella, explaining that Harrington discovered White Oak while competing in the Wachovia-sponsored tournament in Charlotte. "He's a very pleasant, very relaxed sort of guy. He's not high pressure, but very committed ... works out two to four hours a day in the gym."

Harrington has competed in 103 PGA Tour events, with three titles, 26 top-10 finishes and has earned more than $10 million in prize money.

The land on which his White Oak home will be built once was part of a 93,000- acre tract owned by King George II and given to the Ambrose Family. The current owners converted about 1,000 acres into a multi-faceted living and recreational community that will include an Arnold Palmer Premier golf course and about 86 home sites in phase one.

FALDO LACKS CONFIDENCE AS HE MAKES SENIORS DEBUT: Nick Faldo will make his seniors golf debut today at Muirfield, where he won two of his three British Open championships.

Familiarity, however, has not created a spike in his confidence level for the 50-somethings version of the British Open.

"I have been busy with TV and course design visits across Europe and America," said Faldo, who turned 50 a week ago and spends 44 weeks of the year working for CBS. "This my longest season of golf -- two weeks -- in the year."

Faldo also played at last week's Open at Carnoustie, but failed to make the cut.

"I can go on memories, but I still have to hit the golf ball," said Faldo, who also won three Masters. "These guys have played probably 20 tournaments this year. I have played two weeks."

U.S. JUNIOR AMATEUR: Cary's Lee Bedford earned a 1-up win over Nick Delio of Valencia, Calif., in a first-round match on Wednesday at Augusta, Mo.

A pair of Southern Pines golfers, Jack Fields and Michael McGowan, also advanced to the second round.

Charlotte's Daniel Meggs and Fayetteville's David Chung were eliminated.