Profi le – Padraig Harrington
Golfi ng great: belowtriple-Major winner Harrington in action in the BMW PGA Championship 2010 at Wentworth; facing Padraig displays his easy going nature on course
Padraig Harrington –
Ireland’s golf
A
Those of us who travel to major tournaments overseas, have long known that the magic of Padraig Harrington extends beyond his golfi ng exploits. In truth,
ambassador
no country could wish for a better sporting ambassador. By Dermot Gilleece photography by George Powell
natural generosity of spirit, is embellished by his extraordinary acceptance of some notably crushing disappointments in a
notoriously demanding pursuit. In fact it was his reaction to one such incident which fi rst caught the attention of infl uential observers overseas. It happened in the 2000 staging of the Benson
and Hedges International tournament at The Belfry. That was when Harrington endured the heartbreak of disqualifi cation when he stood fi ve strokes clear of the fi eld, entering the fi nal round. It had to do with the disastrous error of failing to sign his card for the opening round – an error which didn’t come to light until the Sunday morning. As it happened, Jose Maria Olazabal took top prize
of £166,659. Yet the success of the popular Spaniard was overshadowed not simply by Harrington’s misfortune, but by the admirable dignity with which he handled the entire matter. It brought a glowing tribute a few days later by no less a body than the Royal and Ancient, whose understanding of his plight was all the more acute, given that they had actually framed the rule which led to his undoing.
30| 31 “We talked about the matter and I don’t think it
would be inaccurate to say that everybody was incredibly impressed,” said Grant Moir, of the Rules of Golf committee at St Andrews. “I don’t think he can be praised highly enough for the way he handled what must have been a very diffi cult situation. He has come out of it with great credit.” Moir went on: “It was particularly admirable that he
did not attempt to ascribe blame to anybody else. The fact that he said it is something (counter-signing his scorecard) he has been doing since he was a 12-year-old and that he knew the rules. And that unfortunately he got it wrong. For it to happen in such a circumstance, when he was fi ve strokes in the lead, heightened the misfortune, as far as he was concerned. But he won himself more admirers than he could ever have done through winning a golf competition. That’s a personal view, but one that I know is shared by my colleagues.” More recently, after Harrington’s Open Championship
victories at Carnoustie and Royal Birkdale, the R and A got to know a different side of the Dubliner. They discovered a champion who could not have been more co-operative in responding to the various demands they placed on
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