Padraig Harrington

Childhood

Padraig was born on August 31, 1971 in Ballyroan, Dublin, Ireland. He is the youngest of five sons born to Patrick and Breda Harrington. His father “Paddy” was a Garda(Irish Police Officer). Padraig started playing golf at the early age of four.

Amateur Career

Padraig played his first amateur tournament when he was 15 years old, the Cannaught Boys Championship. He made it to the finals but was beaten. He finished third in the Irish Boys Close Championship at the Grange Golf Club; it was these performances that earned him a place on the Irish Boys team to play in the Home Internationals at Kilmarnock Barassie Golf Club in Scotland. During the winter, Padraig was coached by David Jones and then Howard Bennett under the Golfing Union of Ireland training.

In the summer of 1988, Padraig finished runner up in the Irish Boys Championship at Birr Golf Club and won the Leinster Boys Championship at Royal Tara Golf Club with a score of 4 under par 284.In August, the Home Internationals were played at Formby Golf Club in Southport and won three out of four of his matches.

Harrington moved up to youths level in 1989 and finished third in both the Cannaught and Irish Youths Championships. He went on to finish second in the Leinster Youths Championship at Greystones Golf Club with a five under par score. Padraig won both singles in the Boys Home Internationals, played on the Great Britain and Ireland Boys Team that beat Europe at Nairn Golf Club and won five out of six matches in the European Boys Team Championships played at Lyckopna Golf Club in Sweden.

In 1990, Padraig started contending at a senior level. He played in the European Youths at Golf Club Roverie in Italy and won five out of six matches. Padraig won his first senior title in April, 1994 when he was 21.

1995 was Harrington’s last year as an amateur. He broke seven course records between 1994-1995. Padraig finished off the year winning eleven of his twelve matches for Ireland. Following a very successful amateur career, the highlight of which was winning the Walker Cup in 1995 at Royal Porthcawl in one of his three Walker Cup appearances, Padraig turned professional in September 1995.

Professional Career

Padraig’s professional career began with success at the European Tour School where he earned his full Tour Card for 1996. He made the cut at each of his first nine European Tour events, including five top-10 finishes and a remarkable win at the Spanish Open. Other top ten finishes saw him finish 11th in the Order of Merit for the year and secured him places in the Irish Dunhill Cup and World Cup teams. In the next few years, Harrington finished second in European Tour events a number of times, including four second places in five events in late 1999.

In 2000, Padraig discovered a winning touch and he had at least one win on the European Tour each year from then to 2004. He has finished in the top ten on the European on the European Tour’s Order of Merit seven times. Harrington won the Order of Merit in 2006 and in 2007 he won the European Tour Golfer of the Year award.

From around 2000, Harrington appeared with increasing frequency in the U.S. at the majors and World Golf Championships events. He won his first professional event in the U.S. at the Target World Challenge. In both 2003 and 2004 he was the runner up in the Players Championship. Padraig took membership of the PGA Tour for 2005 and in March he won his first PGA Tour official money event at the Honda Classic. In late June, Harrington won the Barclays Classic from Jim Furyk for his second PGA Tour win.

At the 2007 Open Championship, Harrington defeated Sergio Garcia, becoming the first Irishman to win The Open Championship in 60 years, and the first ever from the Republic of Ireland.

A year later at the 2008 Open Championship, it was unclear if he would get a chance to defend his Open title at Royal Birkdale as eight days prior to the event he injured his wrist. Harrington successfully defended his title. He is the first European golfer since James Braid in 1906 to retain the Claret Jug.The win moved him from fourteenth to third in the world rankings, behind only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

Three weeks after winning the Open Championship, Harrington won the PGA Championship for his third major. Padraig became the first European to win the PGA Championship in 78 years (Tommy Armour in 1930), and is the first winner from Ireland.

Aside from Tiger Woods, Harrington is the first golfer to win two majors in the same year since Mark O’Meara in 1998 and the first to win consecutive majors in the same year since Nick Price in 1994. This latest major win has secured Harrington’s position as the number one player in Europe, earning him the number one spot in the European Ryder Cup team under Nick Faldo.

Family Life

Padraig has known his wife Caroline since childhood; they were married in 1997 and have two sons: Patrick, born in 2003 and Ciaran, born in 2007.

Harrington is a distant cousin of 1995 World Series of Poker champion and author Dan Harrington and NFL quarterback Joey Harrington.

Coach and Caddie

Padraig is coached by Bob Torrance, the father of former Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance. Harrington’s caddie, since 2004 is Ronan Flood who is also his brother-in-law.

Extras

Padraig has chosen the spectacular location of The Marlbrook, Clonmel in CO. Tipperary to design his first golf course.

In an attempt to help those in need, the Padraig Harrington Charitable Foundation was established in 2005 to provide financial assistance to deserving beneficiaries throughout Ireland and the rest of the world.

Padraig’s book was published in 2007, entitles “Journey to the Open” and all of it’s royalties will go through the Padraig Harrington Charitable Foundation before distribution to certain selected beneficiaries.

Question

What was one of Padraig Harrington’s career ambitions?

Quote of the day

Adlai Stevenson: "Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, and some on golf courses.